Biopsychology: topic 7 ‘localisation of function’ Flashcards
what is the concept of localisation in the brain?
- localisation is the idea that specific functions have specific locations within the brain
- if a certain area of the brain becomes damaged through illness or injury, the function associated with that area will also be affected
where is the motor cortex located?
- the motor cortex is located at the back of the frontal lobe in both hemispheres
- the motor cortex in each hemisphere controls movement in the opposite side of the body
what is the primary function of the motor cortex?
- the motor cortex is responsible for generating voluntary motor movements
what may result from damage to the motor cortex?
- damage to this area may result in a loss of control over fine movements
what does the somatosensory cortex refer to?
- the somatosensory cortex refers to the sensation of the body
where is the somatosensory cortex located?
- the somatosensory cortex lies next to the motor cortex in the brain, at the front of the parietal lobe in both hemispheres
what type of information does the somatosensory cortex process?
- the somatosensory cortex processes sensory information from the skin, such as touch, heat, and pressure
how does the amount of neuronal connections affect the somatosensory cortex?
- the amount of neuronal connections needed dictates the amount of somatosensory cortex needed for that area of the body
true or false: the somatosensory cortex on one side of the brain receives sensory information from the same side of the body
- false
fill in the blank: the somatosensory cortex perceives _______
- touch
what are the two main visual cortices in the brain?
- one in each hemisphere
- visual cortex is in the occipital lobe at the back of the brain
where is the visual cortex located?
- in the occipital lobe at the back of the brain
- this area is considered the main visual centre
how does visual information from the eyes reach the visual cortex?
- right visual field to left visual cortex; left visual field to right visual cortex
- this cross wiring means damage to one hemisphere affects the opposite visual field
what happens if there is damage to the left hemisphere of the brain?
- blindness in part of the right visual field of both eyes
- this is due to the way visual information is processed
what area is specifically necessary for visual perception?
- area V1
- damage to area V1 results in individuals reporting no vision
what are the two primary auditory cortices in the brain?
- one in each hemisphere
- these areas are responsible for processing auditory information
where is the primary auditory cortex located?
- in the temporal lobe either side of the brain
- this area receives information from both ears via two pathways that transmits information about what the sound is and its location
what can damage to the primary auditory cortex cause?
- partial hearing loss
- the extent of hearing loss correlates with the extent of damage
in which hemisphere are Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas usually located?
- left hemisphere
- this is where most language processing occurs in the majority of people
what is Broca’s area responsible for?
- speech production
- located in a small area in the left frontal lobe
what is Broca’s aphasia characterised by? how is Broca’s aphasia caused?
- speech that is slow, laborious, and lacking in fluency
- damage to Broca’s area leads to this condition
what did Wernicke discover about patients with damage near the auditory cortex?
- they had specific language impairments
- these included inability to comprehend language and anomia (where someone struggles to find the word that they need)
what is Wernicke’s area important for?
- understanding language and accessing words
- patients with Wernicke’s aphasia produce fluent but nonsensical speech
where is Wernicke’s area located?
- in a small area in the left temporal lobe
- this area is crucial for language comprehension
