Localisation of function in the brain

Question 1

Localisation

Answer 1

Theory that specific areas of the brain are associated with particular physical and psychological functions

Question 2

Hemispheres

Answer 2

• Left hemisphere
• Right hemisphere
• Language areas are only found in the left hemisphere

Question 3

Motor, somatosensory, visual and auditory centres

Answer 3

• Cerebral cortex of both hemispheres is divided into 4 centres called the lobes: Frontal, Parietal, Occipital, Temporal
• Each lobe is associated with different functions
• Motor area = back of the frontal lobe - control voluntary movement in the opposite side of the body - damage may result in a loss of control over fine movements
• Somatosensory area = parietal lobe - processes sensory info
• Visual area = occipital lobe - receives and processes visual info - damage can lead to blindness
• Auditory area = temporal lobe - analyses speech-based info - damage may produce hearing loss

Question 4

Language centres

Answer 4

• Restricted to left hemisphere
• Broca’s area - area in frontal lobe responsible for speech production - damage to Broca’s area causes Broca’s aphasia which is characterised by speech that is slow and lacks fluency
• Wernicke’s area - area in the temporal lobe which is responsible for language comprehension - damage causes Wernicke’s aphasia - people will produce nonsense words

Question 5

Localisation - evaluation - strength

Answer 5

• Evidence from brain scans
• Study used brain scans to show how Wernicke’s area was active during a listening task and Broca’s area was active during a reading task
• Confirms localised areas for everyday behaviours

Question 6

Localisation - evaluation - limitation

Answer 6

• Language may not be localised to just Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas
• fMRIs mean neural processes in the brain can be studied with more clarity
• Seems language function is distributed far more holistically
• Other areas have been identified - thalamus
• Suggests language may be organised more holistically