Lesson 6 - Localisation Of Function

Question 1

Localisation Of Function

Answer 1

Suggests specific functions have specific locations in the brain.

Question 2

Broca’s Area

Answer 2

Brocas concluded speech production was localised to this part of the frontal lobe.

Question 3

A Systematic Brain?

Answer 3

Small damage to the brain can have specific effects on shit suggesting it’s highly systematic.

Question 4

The Somatosensory Cortex

Answer 4

Receives sensory input from receptors, it’s in the parietal lobe. The amount of somatosensory dedicated to a body part reflects it’s sensitivity.

Question 5

The Motor Cortex

Answer 5

Responsible for voluntary movements - it’s in the back of the frontal lobe. The motor cortex in each hemisphere controls movements in the opposite side.

Question 6

Visual Cortex

Answer 6

The primary visual is in the occipital lobe, additional processing is done in surrounding cortical areas (secondary areas).

Question 7

The Auditory Centre

Answer 7

Both in the left and right temporal lobe. The auditory pathways begin in the inner ear where sounds waves are converted to nerve impulses, which travel via the auditory nerve.

Question 8

Broca’s Area Study

Answer 8

Broca treated ‘Tan’ who could understand language but nothing else, 8 other man had the same issues but lesions cut in their frontal hemisphere. Only on the left would a cut cause these problems proving this shit.

Question 9

Motor Regions (Broca’s area)

Answer 9

Close to the area that controls the mouth speaking.

Question 10

Sensory Region (Wernicke’s Area)

Answer 10

Close to the area responsible for auditory and visual impact.

Question 11

Localisation Of Function Strengths

Answer 11

• Brain Scans
• Neurosurgical Evidence
• Phineas Gage Case Study

Question 12

Localisation Of Function Weaknesses

Answer 12

• Reductionist Method
• Plasticity
• Individual Differences In Brain Localisation

Question 13

Brain Scans (+)

Answer 13

These support localisation - in particular for language areas. Peterson Et Al, proved the Wernicke’s area is active when listening and the Broca’s area when speaking using brain scans.

Question 14

Neurosurgical Evidence (+)

Answer 14

Neurosurgery specifically damages certain parts of the brain to help with mental illness. Daughtery Et Al reported 44 OCD patients who had the surgery and after 32 weeks a third fully recovered and 14% partially recovered.

Question 15

Phineas Gage Case Study (+)

Answer 15

Suffered brain damage with a metal pole that removed his temporal lobe. This completely changed his personality, he used to be calm but now was quick tempered and rude.

Question 16

Reductionist Method (-)

Answer 16

Karl Lashley stated higher functions like learning aren’t localised. He removed 10-50% of rat’s brains and found they completely the maze the same suggesting it’s reductionist.

Question 17

Plasticity (-)

Answer 17

Plasticity is when part of the brain is damage and the rest of it re-organises to compensate. Therefore, plasticity compensated for localisation damage.

Question 18

Individual Differences In Brain Localisation (-)

Answer 18

Baulier Et Al found variability in individual activation pattern e.g. different activation in the left and right temporal lobes.