Biopsychology: Localisation of function Flashcards
Where is the motor cortex located?
Frontal lobe, along pre-central gyrus
What is mean by localisation of function?
Refers to the idea specific functions happen in specific areas of the brain
What is the role of the motor cortex?
Responsible for the generation of voluntary movements
How is the motor cortex located?
Bilaterally; motor cortex on the left hemisphere, controls MUSCLE movements on the right side of the body and vice versa
What do different parts of the motor cortex do?
Different parts of the motor cortex exert control over different parts of the body
How are regions arranged in the motor cortex?
Arranged logically: region that controls foot located next to region that controls leg
Where is the somatosensory cortex located?
Parietal lobe, along post-central gyrus
What does the Somatosensory cortex do?
Detects sensory events arising from diff regions of brain
What does the Postcentral gyrus do?
processes sensory info related to touch
What does the Somatosensory cortex produce?
Produces sensations such as temperature, touch, temp and pain, which it then localises to specific body regions
How is the Somatosensory cortex located?
Bilaterally; one side of the brain receives info about other side of the body
Where is the auditory cortex located?
Temporal lobes
Where do auditory pathways begin?
Cochlea (inner ear)
Auditory processing: 1) Auditory pathways begin in the _______, where __________ are converted to _____ impulses
cochlea
sound waves
nerve
Auditory processing: 2) Impulses travel via auditory _____ to auditory ______
nerve
cortex
What happens in the cochlea
Soundwaves are converted to nerve impulses
Auditory processing: What happens after sound waves are converted to nerve impulses during auditory processing?
to the auditory cortex via auditory nerve
Auditory processing: 3) En-route to the brain, the nerve impulses pass through where?
Brain stem
Thalamus
Auditory cortex
What happens in the brain stem during auditory processing?
Basic decoding occurs, e.g. duration and intensity of a sound
What happens in the thalamus during auditory processing?
The thalamus, which acts a relay station and carries out further processing of auditory stimulus
What happens in the auditory cortex during auditory processing?
Decoded sound is recognised and may result in an appropriate response.
What is Unilateral destruction?
Damage to one side of the brain
What does unilateral destruction result in?
Slight hearing loss
What does bilateral destruction result in?
Cortical deafness
Where is the visual cortex located?
Occipital lobe
Visual processing: 1) visual processing beings in the._____, where_____enters and strikes the ______________
cochlea
light
photoreceptors
Visual processing: 2) _____ impulses from the retina are transmitted to the _____ via the _____ nerve
Nerve
brain
optic
Visual processing: 3) Majority of impulses terminate in the ________ which acts as a _____ _______, passing this info onto the ______ ______
thalamus
relay station
visual cortex
Visual processing: Where do the majority of nerve impulses terminate?
Thalamus
Visual processing: Where does info pass onto after being relayed by the thalamus?
Visual cortex
Which hemisphere(s) is the visual cortex located in?
Both
How is the visual cortex located within the brain?
Bilaterally; right hemisphere receives input from the left-hand side of the visual field and vice versa
What does the visual cortex contain and what do these process?
Different areas which process different types of visual info such as colour, shape and movement
Where is Broca’s area located?
Posterior portion of LEFT frontal lobe
What is Broca’s area responsible for?
Speech production
Patient Tan understood ________. but was unable to to _____ nor express _______ in writing
language
speak
thoughts
What was patient Tan able to do?
Understand speech
What did Broca do?
Conducted a post mortem study on patient Tan
What did Broca find?
discovered a lesion on the left frontal lobe
Why are Broca’s findings significant?
He helped discover a language centre responsible for speech production in posterior frontal lobe in left hemisphere
Where is Wernicke’s area located?
Posterior portion of left temporal lobe
What is Wernicke’s area responsible for?
Language comprehension
What will a patient be able to do if they have damage to their Wernicke’s area?
Able to speak but unable to comprehend language
What did Wernicke find?
A patient has a lesion in posterior region of left temporal lobe
A03 - Why do Aphasia cases support Localisation of function?
A - inability to understand/comprehend speech
C - caused by stroke/head trauma
E- expressive (unable to produce speech) = damage to Broca area
R - receptive (unable to comprehend language) = damage to Wernicke’s area
S - shows importance of different brain regions in production of speech (Broca’s) and comprehension of language (Wernickes)
A03 - Weakness of aphasia cases
D - Dronkers et al - found lesion in Broca’s area
BUT ALSO FOUND
O - other evidence suggesting other AREAS contributed to failure of speech production
A03 - How do brain scanning techniques support Localisation of function?
Peterson - Demonstrated how:
B - Broca area active during reading
W - Wernickes area active during listening
S - Shown by brain scans - clear cause and effect
S- Suggests areas perform diff functions which control diff aspects of body. Reading = eyes Listening = ears
A03 - Weakness of brain scanning technique?
Equipotentiality Lashley -
B - basic motor functions = localised
H - higher mental functions (e.g. empathy) = aren’t
C - claimed after brain injury, intact areas of cortex can take over responsibility for specific cognitive functions
O - suggests functions aren’t localised, as Other regions can take over
S - So, brain is so complex, no one part acts independently, instead, works as a unit.
A03- which researcher gives support for brain scanning techniques?
Peterson
A03- which research gave evidence against localisation of function in terms of equipotentiality
Lashley
