Localisation Of Function Of Brain eval Flashcards
(6 cards)
What are the hemispheres of the brain?
It’s the division of the cerebrum (main part of the brain) into 2 halves: right and left hemipshere
Cerebral cortex: outer layer of both hemispheres, subdivided into 4 centres called lobes
What’s a strength of localisation theory relating to treatment?
Damage to certain areas linked to mental disorders. Neurosurgery is a last resort to treat mental disorders such as Cingulotomy.
Involves isolating cingulate gyrus which had been linked to OCD
What’s a study supporting cingulotomy as a strengh for localisation?
Dougherty et al reported 44 OCD patients who had a cingulotomy. After 32 weeks, 30% met the criteria for successful response to surgery (14% partially successful)
Suggests behaviours associated with mental disorders may be localised
What’s
other strengths for localisation
Peterson et al used brain scans to show Wernicke’s area was active during a listening task and Broca’s area was active during a reading task
Buckner and Peterson reviewed LTM studies finding semantic and episodic memories were stored in different areas of prefrontal cortex
- confirms localisation of everyday behaviours
What’s a limitation of localisation related to cortex holism?
Lashley removed areas of cortex in rats that were learning a route through a maze, no area proved more important than another when learning the route.
Learning seemed to require every part of cortex
Suggests higher cognitive functions may not be localised and learning may be more holistic
What’s another limitation of localisation related to language holism?
Language may be more holistic than localisation suggests. Tremblay only 2% of modern researchers think language is completely controlled by 2 areas.
fMRI scans study brain much more clearly than before
Language streams found across whole cortex, including right hemisphere and sub cortex
