Lateralization, Language, & Split Brain

Question 1

What are the characteristics of aphasia?

Answer 1

deficit in language comprehension due to brain damage

Question 2

What are the characteristics of apraxia?

Answer 2

• difficulty performing movements when asked to do so out of context
• can still do tasks if prompted to do so by own will

Question 3

What is the corpus callosum?

Answer 3

• largest cerebral commissure

- transfers learned information from one hemisphere to the other

Question 4

In human split-brain patients, what happens when you present a picture to the right visual field? (left brain)

Answer 4

• Patient will be able to tell you what was seen

- Right hand can show you, left hand can’t

Question 5

What happens when you present a picture to the left visual field? (right brain)

Answer 5

• Patient will say he doesn’t know what it is

- left hand can show you what it was, right hand can’t

Question 6

In human split-brain patients, what information passes between hemispheres?

Answer 6

Emotional information

Question 7

What is the lateralization of the constituent cognitive process?

Answer 7

• individual cognitive elements

- certain hemispheres are better at specific tasks

Question 8

What is the advantage of cerebral lateralization?

Answer 8

• increased neural efficiency

- two cognitive processes may be more readily performed simultaneously

Question 9

What are the general functions that are considered right hemisphere dominant?

Answer 9

• spatial ability
• emotion
• musical ability
• some nonverbal memory tasks

Question 10

What are the general functions that are considered left hemisphere dominant?

Answer 10

• controlling ipsilateral movement

- “interpreter”

Question 11

What is the Wernicke-Geschwind Model (responding to a heard question)?

Answer 11

• primary auditory cortex
• Wernicke’s area
• arcuate fasciulus
• Broca’s area
• primary motor cortex

Question 12

What is the Wernicke-Geschwind model (responding to words read)?

Answer 12

• primary visual cortex
• angular gyrus
• Wernicke’s area
• arcuate fasciculus
• broca’s area
• primary motor cortex

Question 13

What is the primary function of Broca’s area?

Answer 13

speech production

Question 14

Where is the Broca’s area located?

Answer 14

• frontal operculum

- near face area of primary motor cortex

Question 15

What is the primary function of Wernicke’s area?

Answer 15

speech comprehension

Question 16

Where is Wernicke’s area located?

Answer 16

• planum temporale

- temporal lobe, posterior lateral fissure

Question 17

What does the angular gyrus control?

Answer 17

comprehension of language-related visual input

Question 18

Where is the angular gyrus located?

Answer 18

next to Wernicke’s area

Question 19

What did we learn from Bevalier’s fMRI study of reading?

Answer 19

• areas of activity were tiny and spread out
• active areas varied between subjects and trials
• activity was widespread

Question 20

What did we learn from Damasio’s PET study of naming?

Answer 20

• left temporal lobe areas activated by naming varied with category
• activity seen well beyond Wernicke’s area