Localisation of Function Flashcards
Who proposed Localisation of Function?
Broca & Wernicke
What is Localisation of Function?
The idea that specific areas of the brain are responsible for specific functions
Where is Broca’s Area?
In the left frontal lobe
Where is Wernicke’s Area?
The left temporal lobe
Describe Broca’s Area
An area responsible for language production
Describe Wernicke’s Area
An area responsible for language understanding
Besides Broca & Wernicke’s Areas, what are 4 other localised areas of the brain?
- Somatosensory area
- Motor area
- Visual area
- Auditory area
What does damage to Wernicke’s Area result in?
Fluent but meaningless speech and the production of nonsense words (neologisms)
What does damage to Broca’s Area result in?
Slow, laborious speech that lacks fluency
Describe a case study regarding damage to Broca’s Area
Tan, who was a patient of Broca’s who could only repeat the word “Tan”
What is the function of the Motor Area?
To control voluntary movement in the opposite side of the body
Where is the Motor Area located?
Frontal lobe
Where is the Somatosensory Area located?
Parietal lobe
Where is the Visual Area located?
Occipital lobe
What are the 2 language centres in the brain?
- Broca’s Area
- Wernicke’s Area
Where is the Auditory Area located?
Temporal lobe
What is the function of the Somatosensory Area?
To represent sensory information from the skin, such as heat and touch
What is the function of the Visual Area?
To process visual information from the visual field on the opposite side of the body
What is the function of the Auditory Area?
To analyse speech-based information
What may damage to the Motor Area result in?
A loss of control over movement or paralysis in the opposite side of the body to the side where the damage was obtained
What may damage to the Somatosensory Area result in? (2 Points)
- Difficulty processing sensory information
- Numbness or a tingling or prickling sensation in certain parts of the body
What may damage to the Visual Area result in?
Blindness in the visual side on the opposite side of the body to the side where the damage was obtained
What may damage to the Auditory Area result in?
Partial hearing loss
What evidence suggests a distinction between Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area?
Peterson, who used brain scans to demonstrate how Broca’s Area was active during a reading task (language production) whilst Wernicke’s Area was active during a listening task (language understanding)
What evidence is there to suggest the localisation of LTM stores?
Tulving, who used PET scans to demonstrate how semantic memories are recalled from the left prefrontal cortex whilst episodic memories are recalled from the right prefrontal cortex
What evidence contradicts the idea of Localisation of Function?
- Lashley, who removed varying areas of the cortex in the brains of rats learning a maze route
- He concluded that no one area was more crucial than any other in terms of the rats ability to learn the maze route
- This suggests that higher complex functions aren’t localised, but distributed holistically
What did Lashley propose in regards of Localisation of Function?
Equipotentiality Theory, which is the idea that basic motor and sensory functions are localised, but higher mental functions are not
Why is evidence supporting Localisation of Function considered high quality?
It utilises objective, scientific methods, such as neuroimaging
What case study evidence is there for Localisation of Function?
- Phineas Gage, who was pierced by an iron rod that passed through his left cheek and much of his left frontal lobe
- Although he survived, following the incident Gage was described as having undergone a personality change, becoming impatient, rude and short-tempered, to the extent that he was no longer offered work by the railroad company he worked for
- This suggests the mood regulation is localised in the left frontal lobe
Why has the case of study of Phineas Gage been criticised?
- Difficulty generalising case studies, especially one of such bizarre circumstances, to the wider population
- There’s limited reports of his personality and behaviour before his accident, with most research conducted relying on the accounts and opinions of other people rather than objective, scientific analysis
What evidence contradicts the idea of Localisation of Function?
- Functional Recovery, which demonstrates how the brain can adapt and recover from trauma sustained through injury, allowing specific localised functions to still be carried out (e.g. Danelli et al case study)
- This suggests a less rigid and more holistic regard of localisation of function needs to be adopted
