the brain Flashcards
(33 cards)
What is the function of Broca’s area?
Broca’s area is crucial for the production of language.
Why is Broca’s area important for communication?
Broca’s area enables the production of speech, making it essential for verbal communication.
How does clinical observation of brain damage help us understand psychological brain functions?
It allows researchers to study the psychological consequences of discrete brain lesions, leading to the discovery of many psychological brain functions.
How could clinical observation be used to study memory-related disorders?
By observing patients with brain damage in areas like the hippocampus, researchers can correlate specific lesions with memory impairments.
What does EEG (Electroencephalography) measure?
EEG measures the brain’s electrical activity through small electrodes placed on the scalp.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using EEG for brain research?
EEG is cost-effective, time-specific, and can track event-related potentials. However, it is imprecise and can be “noisy,” making it difficult to isolate responses to specific stimuli.
How does PET (Positron Emission Tomography) imaging work?
PET involves injecting a radioactive substance into the bloodstream, which shows radiation in the brain’s active regions.
What are the ethical concerns of using PET scans for research?
PET scans require the injection of radioactive material, posing potential health risks, so the benefits of using PET should outweigh these risks.
What does fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) measure in the brain?
fMRI measures changes in blood oxygen levels, indicating activity in specific brain regions.
How would you use fMRI to study emotional responses in the brain?
fMRI could measure the blood oxygen level changes in regions like the amygdala and prefrontal cortex during emotional stimuli.
How can TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) be used to study motor function?
TMS can disrupt the motor cortex, allowing researchers to observe changes in movement, thus understanding the role of the motor cortex in voluntary actions.
Design an experiment using TMS to study memory retrieval.
The experiment would involve using TMS to disrupt the activity in the temporal lobe while participants recall memories, comparing retrieval performance before and after the disruption.
What is the cerebral cortex?
The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of the cerebral hemispheres, responsible for higher cognitive functions and giving the brain its wrinkled appearance.
What is the primary function of the frontal lobe?
The frontal lobe is responsible for thought, planning, and movement, housing the prefrontal cortex and primary motor cortex.
If someone has difficulty planning or making decisions, which brain region might be affected?
Damage to the prefrontal cortex, located in the frontal lobe, could be responsible for difficulty with planning and decision-making.
What role does the temporal lobe play in sensory processing?
The temporal lobe specializes in hearing and memory, housing the primary auditory cortex.
What is the main function of the occipital lobe?
The occipital lobe specializes in vision, housing the primary visual cortex.
How would damage to the occipital lobe affect sensory processing?
Damage to the occipital lobe would impair visual processing and could lead to vision loss or disturbances.
What are the key functions of the parietal lobe?
The parietal lobe is specialized in touch and spatial relations, housing the primary somatosensory cortex.
What happens in split-brain patients when the corpus callosum is severed?
The two hemispheres of the brain cannot communicate directly, leading to distinct differences in how each hemisphere processes information.
How would a split-brain patient respond if an object were shown only to their left visual field?
Since the left visual field is processed by the right hemisphere, the patient may be unable to verbally describe the object, as the right hemisphere does not control language.
What is the role of the insula in the brain?
The insula houses the primary gustatory cortex, important for taste and emotional bodily states like disgust.
How does the insula connect emotions and bodily sensations?
The insula is responsible for perceiving bodily states that are linked to emotions, such as feeling disgust in response to unpleasant stimuli.
What is the thalamus responsible for?
The thalamus serves as the gateway to the cortex, receiving and organizing almost all sensory information (except smell) before sending it to the cortex.
