Localisation and function of the brain

Question 1

What is localisation of function?

Answer 1

The idea that different areas of the brain are responsible for different behaviours, processes or activities

Question 2

Which ‘areas’ can be found in the FRONTAL lobe and what do they do?

Answer 2

Motor area- Regulates movement

Broca’s area (left hemisphere)- Responsible for speech production

Question 3

Which ‘areas’ can be found in the PARIETAL lobe and what do they do?

Answer 3

Somatosensory area- Processes sensory information

Question 4

Which ‘areas’ can be found in the OCCIPITAL lobe and what do they do?

Answer 4

Visual area- Processes visual information

Question 5

Which ‘areas’ can be found in the TEMPORAL lobe and what do they do?

Answer 5

Auditory area- Analyses speech-based information

Wernicke’s area (left hemisphere)- responsible for language comprehension

Question 6

What is lateralisation?

Answer 6

The idea that differerent behaviours, processes or activities are controlled by the different hemispheres of the brain (left and right)

Question 7

What is the cerebral cortex?

Answer 7

Often referred to as grey matter, it is the outermost layer of the brain

Question 8

How have brain scans given us evidence for localisation of function?

Answer 8

• Peterson et all (1988) used brain scans to show how Wernicke’s area was active while listening and Broca’s while reading (out loud)
• Tulving et al (1994) found semantic and episodic memories are stored in different parts of the prefrontal cortex

Question 9

What neurosurgical evidence do we have to support localisation of function?

Answer 9

-Dougherty et al (2002) reported on 44 OCD patients that had undergone a cingulotomy (lesioning of cingulate gyrus). After 32 weeks, over a third of the patients had responded successfully to the surgery (reduced OCD)

Question 10

Tell me about Phineas Gage

Answer 10

He accidentally blew up some rocks, hurling a meter long pole into his left cheek, taking out most of his left frontal lobe.
Because of this, he became quick tempered and rude, it is speculated that this is because the frontal lobe may responsible for regulating mood.

Question 11

What research is there to counter localisation of function?

Answer 11

Lashley (1950) proposed that some functions such as learning are distributed in a more holistic way.

To test this, he removed between 10 and 50% of the cerebral cortex in rats and had them learn a maze.

No single part of the brain was found to be more important than others in learning how to do the maze