Localisation of Brain Function

Question 1

what does localisation of brain function refer to?

Answer 1

it refers to the concept that different processes and behaviors situate in specific brain areas

Question 2

What is localisation of brain function also known as?

Answer 2

Cortical specialisation

Question 3

Examples of cortical specialisation include

Answer 3

Location of voluntary movements of the muscles to the back of the frontal lobe in both hemispheres, right and left controlling either side of the body

Question 4

Damage to the frontal lobe (which controls voluntary movements) would mean

Answer 4

Loss of control over fine movements

Question 5

Where is the somatosensory cortex?

Answer 5

It is at the front of the parietal lobe along the post central gyrus and processes sensory information from the skin

Question 6

Historically, evidence for the principle of localisation was established through

Answer 6

Unique cases of neurological damage

Question 7

What’s the most famous study into localisation?

Answer 7

Phineas Gage (1848)

Question 8

Phineas Gage Date

Answer 8

1848

Question 9

What happened to Phineas Gage?

Answer 9

An accidental explosion forced Gage’s tamping iron through his cheek, behind his left eye and it exited through the top of his skull, removing most of his left frontal lobe

Question 10

Did Gage survive?

Answer 10

Yes

Question 11

What happened to Gage after the accident?

Answer 11

He changed from being calm and reserved to someone quick tempered and rude

Question 12

What conclusion was drawn about Gage

Answer 12

The frontal lobe had a role in regulating mood

Question 13

Not long after the conclusion about the frontal lobe playing an important role in regulating mood, it was confirmed by

Answer 13

Paul Broca

Question 14

How did Broca confirm that the frontal lobe was important in mood regulation?

Answer 14

From a patient named “Tan” (the only syllable that he could produce)

Question 15

What could Tan do/not do?

Answer 15

Tan could understand spoken language but was unable to speak or write

Question 16

8 patients with similar defects as Tan all had

Answer 16

Similar lesions on their left frontal hemisphere but patients with lesions on their right frontal hemisphere didn’t suffer with these problems

Question 17

Tan and the other patients did what?

Answer 17

They confirmed Broca’s (1865) contention that a ‘language centre’ in the back of the left frontal lobe is crucial for speech production

Question 18

Karl Lashleys belief

Answer 18

the extent of localisation is dependant on the function, basic motor functions are localised but higher cognative functions such as learning are not

Question 19

what did Karl Lashley do?

Answer 19

he removed 10-50% of the cortex of rats that were learning a maze

Question 20

what did Karl Lashley find?

Answer 20

that no area was more important then another - after the injury, the effects were due to the extent of damage done rather then where

Question 21

who came up with “Equipotentiality theory”?

Answer 21

Karl Lashley

Question 22

what does Equipotentiality theory propose?

Answer 22

when the brain is damaged, other areas of the brain cry and compensate for the damaged area by doing it’s job

Question 23

Danelli et al date

Answer 23

2013

Question 24

Danelli et al case study name

Answer 24

EB

Question 25

Danelli et al - what happened to EB?

Answer 25

he had a large tumour removed as well as most of his left hemisphere at 2 1/2

Question 26

Danelli et al - what did EB loose?

Answer 26

his linguistic abilities

Question 27

Danelli et al - at the age of 17…

Answer 27

EB had the same linguistic abilities as normal people

Question 28

Danelli et al - conclusion

Answer 28

other areas of EB’s brain took on the role of the language centre after the area was removed

Question 29

this way of thinking is

Answer 29

holistic