18.4. The Brain and its Components Flashcards
Temporal lobe…
Responsible for auditory processing and face and object recognition.
Agnosia: damage to this area.
Wernicke’s area is located here. Damage to this region would lead to an individual not understanding visual or spoken communication, but they can speak fine.
Frontal lobe…
Separated from the parietal lobe by the central sulcus.
The primary motor cortex is located in front of the central sulcus. The entire body is mapped onto this, enabling a fine control of movement.
Stimulation of specific areas causes specific muscles to contract.
It plays a specific role in personality, planning, social conscience and awareness.
When Phineas Gage suffered damage to his frontal lobe, he underwent an entire personality change, becoming more rude, impatient and irritable.
Broca’s area is located here. Damage to this region would lead to an individual being unable to talk or write comprehensively.
Parietal lobe…
Separated from the frontal lobe by the central sulcus.
The primary somatosensory cortex is located behind the central sulcus.
Stimulation of specific areas causes specific muscles to contract.
It plays a specific role in our sensation of touch.
Sensory inputs –> thalamus –> primary somatosensory cortex.
Damage to the right parietal lobe leads to contralateral neglect syndrome (where a patient wouldn’t eat the left side of their plate / shave the left side of their face).
Occipital lobe…
It plays a specific role in the processing of visual information, permitting a greater level of detail and depth perception.
Complex integration creates binocular vision with association areas helping us to understand what we see.
It also helps us to articulate what we see.
Damage to the occipital lobe leads to a loss of motion perception.
Speaking a written word…
Words are detected by the visual cortex (in the occipital lobe).
Processed by Wernicke’s area (in the temporal lobe).
Transmitted to Broca’s area (in the frontal lobe).
Broca’s area stimulates the motor cortex to speak the word.
Speaking a heard word…
Words are detected by the auditory cortex (in the temporal lobe).
Processed by Wernicke’s area (in the temporal lobe).
Transmitted to Broca’s area (in the frontal lobe).
Broca’s area stimulates the motor cortex to speak the word.
PET…
Positron emission tomography.
A radioactive substance is injected and detected as it passes through the brain.
This allows for the detection of active areas of the brain, while an individual is participating in a task.
