Functions of Brodmann's Areas

Question 1

what is the function of brodmann’s area 41

Answer 1

detect sound (auditory input)

Question 2

what is the function of brodmann’s area 42?

Answer 2

recognize/distinguish different sounds (frequencies, pitch, etc)

Question 3

what is the function of posterior area 22 in the DOMINANT hemisphere?

Answer 3

• interpret linguistic component of verbal communication
• linguistic - semantic content (words, sentences, etc) of language

Question 4

what is the function of posterior area 22 in the NON-DOMINANT hemisphere?

Answer 4

• interpret the “non-linguistic” components of verbal communication
• variations in intonantion, tone/pitch, etc
• musical or emotional component of verbal language

Question 5

what is the function of brodmann’s area 17

Answer 5

detect visual input

Question 6

what is the function of brodmann’s areas 18 & 19

Answer 6

recognize and distinguish shape (form), color, spatial orientation, and movement

Question 7

what is the function of the associative visual cortex (near brodmann’s area 7)?

Answer 7

“spatial processing”
- interprets and integrates visual information with somatosensory information to determine spatial relationships

Question 8

what is the function of the associative visual cortex (Brodmann’s area 37)?

Answer 8

“object processing”
- recognizes faces and places
- interprets face and complex 3D spatial forms (place) and plays a role in encoding visual memory

Question 9

what is the function of the primary somatosensory cortex (Brodmann’s areas 1, 2, and 3)?

Answer 9

• detect/localize somatosensory sensation from the contralateral side of the body
  (touch, temperature, nociception, proproception

Question 10

what is the function of the secondary/associative somatosensory cortex (Brodmann’s areas 40, 5, and 7)?

Answer 10

• recognize and interpret somatosensory characteristics
  (pleasant touch, pain, temperature, physical form/shape contour, texture, movement of the body, etc)

Question 11

what is the function of the primary motor cortex (Brodmann’s area 4)?

Answer 11

• activates/controls voluntary fine motor movement of contralateral side of the body

Question 12

what is the function of the premotor area (Brodmann’s area 6) the PMC

Answer 12

plans complex voluntary fine motor movements and send motor plans to the primary motor area for activation

Question 13

what is the function of the premotor area (Brodmann’s area 6) the SMA

Answer 13

• plans (visualization) complex sequences of voluntary fine motor movement
• planning is based on previous memories of learned movement sequences
• communicates with the cerebellum to visualize the exact sequencing of muscles that will be needed to perform the action
• micturition! (bladder control)

Question 14

what is the function of the frontal eye field (Brodmann’s area 8)

Answer 14

• horizontal conjugate gaze/eye movements to the opposite direction

(I.e. the left FEF coordinates horizontal gaze to the right and vice versa)

Question 15

what is the function of brodmann’s areas 44 and 45 in the DOMINANT hemisphere?

Answer 15

• motor production of the linguistic components of communication
• working memory for language
  
  • “decodes” input of written word to
    pronouncing the word

Broca’s area

Question 16

what is the function of brodmann’s areas 44 and 45 in the NON-DOMINANT hemisphere?

Answer 16

• motor production of the “non-linguistic” components of verbal communication
• production of emotional aspect of language
• variations in tone/pitch, intonation, rhythm, etc
• acts as a specialized premotor area for producing the non-linguistic components of verbal communication