Localisation Of Function In The Brain

Question 1

What is localisation of function?

Answer 1

The idea that specific areas of the brain have specific functions

Question 2

What are the four lobes of the brain?

Answer 2

Frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal

Question 3

Where is the motor cortex?

Answer 3

Frontal lobe

Question 4

What is the function of the motor cortex?

Answer 4

Controls voluntary movement in the opposite side of the body.

Question 5

What happens if you damage the motor cortex?

Answer 5

Can lead to a loss of control over fine motor movements.

Question 6

Where is the somatosensory cortex?

Answer 6

Parietal lobe

Question 7

What is the function of the somatosensory cortex?

Answer 7

Detects sensory events from different regions in the body, and produces sensations such as touch and pain from receptors

Question 8

Where is the visual cortex?

Answer 8

Occipital lobe

Question 9

What is the function of the visual cortex?

Answer 9

It processes colour, shape and movement

Question 10

Where is the auditory centre?

Answer 10

Temporal lobe

Question 11

What is the function of the auditory centre?

Answer 11

Analyses speech based information, so is concerned with hearing

Question 12

Where is Broca’s area?

Answer 12

Frontal lobe

Question 13

What does Broca’s area do?

Answer 13

Associated with speech production

Question 14

What happens if Broca’s area is damaged?

Answer 14

Broca’s aphasia occurs, which leads to speech that lacks fluency

Question 15

Where is Wernicke’s area?

Answer 15

Left temporal lobe

Question 16

What does Wernicke’s area do?

Answer 16

Associated with language comprehension

Question 17

What happens if Wernicke’s area is damaged?

Answer 17

Wernicke’s aphasia occurs, leading to speech that lacks meaning

Question 18

Which tree undermines the idea that specific parts of the brain perform specific functions?

Answer 18

Lashley, 1950

Question 19

What was the procedure of Lashley’s (1950) study?

Answer 19

Rats learned to run a maze.
Lashley removed parts of their brains (between 10% and 50%)
Rats were still able to remember the route of the maze

Question 20

What is the issue with Lashley using rats in his research?

Answer 20

We can’t apply the findings to humans as brain structure is different

Question 21

Why does the Phineas Gage case study support localisation of function?

Answer 21

His personality/temperament only changed after his frontal lobe was damaged, which suggests that the frontal lobe is responsible for regulating personality and mood.

Question 22

Why isn’t the Phineas Gage case study reliable?

Answer 22

We can’t replicate it

Question 23

Why are brain scans good support for localisation of function theory?

Answer 23

They are objective and controlled

Question 24

Why is plasticity a weakness of localisation of function theory?

Answer 24

The brain reorganises itself after damage and transfers functions to other areas, suggesting that mental activities are not localised in specific areas