Hemispheric and Regional Specialization

Question 1

Which hemisphere of the brain is responsible for specific attention?

Answer 1

Left Hemisphere

Question 2

Which hemisphere of the brain is responsible for general attention?

Answer 2

Right hemisphere

Question 3

What is Ramachandran’s theory of anasognosia?

Answer 3

That the left brain generates and maintains a world model while the right brain is able to revise that model. Inability to revise model is a result of right parietal damage (why it accompanies neglect)

Question 4

What part of the brain is associated with math skills?

Answer 4

The angular gyrus. Damage can lead to decreased ability to calculate numbers

Question 5

What brain condition can lead to increased spirituality?

Answer 5

Left temporal lobe epilepsy

Question 6

What are four explanations for left temporal lobe epilepsy leading to increased spirituality?

Answer 6

1. It’s god
2. Overwhelming emotion
3. Salience for everything increased
4. Specialized neural circuitry in the brain for religion

Question 7

What are two explanations for geniuses?

Answer 7

• More neurons available (not usually true)

- More interconnections (probably true)

Question 8

How might brain damage cause a talent to emerge in a savant?

Answer 8

Plastic remapping of the brain

Post-seizure: Hebbian synapses could form by mistake, but this would likely be short term.

Question 9

What are the two systems of online control?

Answer 9

Internal and external