Higher Cortical Function Flashcards
Where do most inputs to the cortex come from?
The thalamus and other cortical areas
Where do the outputs of the cortex come from?
The pyramidal cells
What happens to information between the cortical inputs and outputs?
It is processed complex synaptic networks
What are the functions of the frontal lobes?
- Motor functions
- Expression of speech
- Behavioural regulation/judgement
- Cognition
- Eye movements
- Continence
What area provides the motor function of the frontal lobes?
The pre-central gyrus and associated motor areas
What might result from frontal lobe lesions in terms of behaviour?
May display inappropriatebehaviour and don’t care what other thinks
What are the functions of the parietal lobes?
- Sensory
- Comprehension of speech
- Body image
- Awareness of external environment
- Calculation and writing
Which area provides the sensory function of the parietal lobes?
The post-central gyrus
What area provides the comprehension of speech function of the parietal lobe?
What might a parietal lobe lesion lead to, in terms of awareness of the external environment?
A phenomenon called neglet, which is where you don’t acknowledge the opposite half of the world exists, despite normal visual fields
What are the functions of the temporal lobes?
- Hearing
- Olfaction
- Memory
- Emotion
What might temporal lobe epilepsy lead to?
Being able to smell things that aren’t there, e.g oranges or burnt toast
What runs through the white matter of the temporal and parietal lobes?
The visual pathways
Clinically, what gives us clues about ‘global’ cortical function?
Widespread lesions such as Alzheimers
What kind of functions is the left hemisphere more important for?
- Language
- Mathematics
- Logic
What kind of functions is the right hemisphere more important for?
- Body image
- Visuospatial awareness
- Emotion
- Music
In what % of people is the left hemisphere dominant?
95%
What is the corpus callosum?
A huge bundle of white matter connecting two hemispheres
What showed the result of cutting the corpus callosum?
An early surgical treatment for epilepsy was to cut the corpus callosum, to prevent seizure activity from propagating through the whole brain, which had neuropsychological consequences for the patients
What is the effect of cutting the corpus callosum?
Means that the left and right hemisphere act independantly, for example you can interview the left and right hemisphere separatly
Where are the language pathways found?
Primary in the dominant hemisphere
What are the constituents of the language pathways?
Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area, connected to each other by the arcuate fasciculus
Where is Brocas area found?
In the inferior lateral frontal lobe
What is Broca’s area involved in?
Production of speech
Where is Wernicke’s area?
The superior temporal lobe
What is the role of Wernicke’s area?
Interpretation of language
What pathway is taken when repeating a heard word?
Sound is sent through the primary auditory cortex to Wernicke’s area, where patterns of vibrations are decoded into words. The words are then sent to Brocas area, which sends them to motor cortex, making the muscles of speech move
What pathway is taken when speaking a written word?
Image travels from visual cortex to Wernicke’s area, and then through the arcuate fasciculus to Brocas area
What pathway is taken when speaking a thought?
Inputs from lots of area feed into Wernicke’s area, and then Broca’s area
What is Wernicke’s aphasia?
Fluent aphasia, where the patient can speak fluently but there is no comprehension
What is Broca’s aphasia?
Patients speech is incomprehensible, but they understand what you’re telling them
What are the classifications of memory?
- Declerative
- Non-declarative
What kind of information is stored in declerative memory?
- Explicit information
- Facts
What kind of information is stored in nondeclerative memory?
- Implicit
- Motor skills
- Emotions
Where are memories stored?
In a relatively ‘distributed’ fashion throughout large areas of the brain
Where are declerative memories stored?
In the cerebral cortex
Where are non-declerative memories stored?
Cerebellum
How are short term memories converted into long term memories?
Consolidation
What does consolidation of memories depend on?
- Emotional context
- Rehearsal
- Association
What structure is crucial for consolidating declearative memories?
The hippocampus
What are the input sources to the hippocampus?
- Visual system
- Auditory system
- Somatosensory system
- Limbic system
