Localisation of function in the brain
- Created by: 0045253
- Created on: 31-05-22 13:14
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- Localisation of function in the brain
- Motor Cortex
- Responsible for the generation for voluntary movements
- Located in the frontal lobe of the brain.
- Motor cortex on one side of the brain controlling the opposite side of the body.
- Important for complex movements such as coughing and crying.
- Somatosensory cortex
- Found at the front of the parietal lobe.
- Where sensory information from the skin (heat, pressure) represented.
- Visual Cortex
- located in the occipital lobe at the back of the brain
- Each eye sends information to the opposite side of the occipital lobe
- damage in left hemisphere can cause blindness in the right visual field of both eyes.
- Broca's Area
- In the 1880s Broca identified a small area in the left frontal lobe.
- responsible for speech production.
- Damage results in slow speech which lacks fluency (Broca’s aphasia).
- Wernicke’s Area
- Located in the left temporal lobe.
- responsible for language comprehension (understanding language rather than producing it).
- Damage results in Wernicke’s aphasia – patients often produce nonsense words as part of their speech.
- Auditory + Language Cortex
- located in the temporal lobes
- This area analyses speech-based information. Damage may produce hearing loss.
- WEAKNESS
- P - Research into the localisation of function relies on flawed case studies.
- E- Case
studies such as Phineas Gage reflect a unique experience of brain damage.
Patterns of brain damage can be different between individuals as well as
differences in individual’s brain organisation.
- E - Therefore,
you can not generalise the findings to the general population as the evidence
is not representative.
- L - Additionally, brain scans also have their own limitations. This means that having conclusive evidence about localisation can be difficult.
- E - Therefore,
you can not generalise the findings to the general population as the evidence
is not representative.
- E- Case
studies such as Phineas Gage reflect a unique experience of brain damage.
Patterns of brain damage can be different between individuals as well as
differences in individual’s brain organisation.
- P -
Localisation theory of the brain is
criticised for being reductionist and too simplistic.
- E - Many
psychologists believe that some functions are more localised than others e.g.
somatosensory and motor functions are highly localised to particular areas of
cortex.
- E - Whereas,
other functions seem more widely distributed e.g. the personality and
consciousness.
- L - The brain is so complex that no one part acts independently of the rest, so strict localisation is impossible.
- E - Whereas,
other functions seem more widely distributed e.g. the personality and
consciousness.
- E - Many
psychologists believe that some functions are more localised than others e.g.
somatosensory and motor functions are highly localised to particular areas of
cortex.
- P - Research into the localisation of function relies on flawed case studies.
- STRENGTH
- P - research investigating localisation has
practical applications.
- E - Knowledge about the language centres in the
brain has led to applications in speech and language therapy.
- E - This can be used after a person experiences a
brain injury/illness.
- L - This shows that knowing about different areas of function will provide useful insights to improve lives.
- E - This can be used after a person experiences a
brain injury/illness.
- E - Knowledge about the language centres in the
brain has led to applications in speech and language therapy.
- P - Brain
scans and case studies, such as Phineas Gage, have provided neurological
supporting evidence for localisation of function in the brain.
- E - Phineas
Gage experienced brain damage (frontal lobe) after an accident at work
involving explosives. Incredibly, he survived but the damage to his brain had a
serious influence on his personality.
- E - He
became bad tempered and rude as the frontal lobe is thought to be responsible
for regulating mood.
- L - This suggests that areas of the brain have different functions (localised).
- E - He
became bad tempered and rude as the frontal lobe is thought to be responsible
for regulating mood.
- E - Phineas
Gage experienced brain damage (frontal lobe) after an accident at work
involving explosives. Incredibly, he survived but the damage to his brain had a
serious influence on his personality.
- P - research investigating localisation has
practical applications.
- Motor Cortex
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