Localisation of function Flashcards
Why did scientists begin to question the holistic theory of the brain?
Broca and Wernicke discovered that specific areas (such as the language centres) are associated with particular functions
How does the theory of localisation split the brain into separate components?
2 HEMISPHERES
4 LOBES [frontal, temporal, parietal, occipital]
What are the 4 areas of localised function and where are they located?
MOTOR AREA [back of frontal lobes] - controls movement
SOMATOSENSORY AREA [front of parietal lobes] - receives sensory information
VISUAL AREA [occipital lobes] - receives info from eyes
AUDITORY AREA [temporal lobes] - analyses speech based information
How is the language area of the brain further localised?
BROCA’S AREA = speech production
WERNICKE’S AREA = language comprehension
How did Broca and Wernicke prove their localisation?
Damage to either area causes different types of aphasia, proving how the type of function differs
How did Peterson use brain scans to support localisation of function?
The brain scans showed that Wernicke’s area was active during listening, and Broca’s was active during reading
How does Tulving’s research into long term memory support localisation of function?
He found that semantic and episodic memories reside in different parts of the prefrontal cortex, therefore even functions like memory are localised in different areas
What was Dougherty’s study and how does it support localisation?
He lesioned the brains of 44 OCD sufferers, and found that 44% showed improvements in symptoms, highlighting the reality of localisation and its practical application in treating disorders
How can the results of Dougherty’s study be used to criticise the theory of localisation?
56% of participants did not show any improvements, raising questions about the generalisability and application
What was Lashley’s study and how does it challenge localisation?
Removed 10-50% of rats’ cortexes, found that no area was better or worse at learning a maze
