Localisation of Function in the Brain

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What was the main theory before localisation?
The Holistic Approach
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What did this theory suggest?
That all parts of the brain were involved in processing of thought and action
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Who were the two main people who started the move towards the localisation theory?
Broca and Wernicke
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Define localisation of function
That different parts of the brain perform different tasks and are involved with different parts of the body.
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Define lateralisation
When some of our physical and psychological functions are controlled by a particular hemisphere
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What is the name of the outer layer of the hemispheres?
The Cerebral Cortex
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Why is this part of our brain different to animals?
Its more developed (3mm thick)
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What are the four main lobes in both hemispheres?
The frontal lobe, the parietal lobe, the occipital lobe and the temporal lobe
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What is the area in the frontal lobe? (back)
The motor area - voluntary movement in the opposite side of the body
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What is the area in the front of the parietal lobe?
The somatosensory area - sensory information from the skin is represented
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What is the area in the occipital lobe?
The visual area - each eye sends info from the right visual to the left visual cortex and vice visa
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What is the area in the temporal lobe?
The auditory area - analyses speech-based information
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What are the two main language centres in the brain?
Broca's area and Wernicke's area
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Where is Broca's area?
Left frontal lobe
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What would damage to this area cause?
Broca's aphasia - problems with speech production ('Tan')
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Where is Wernicke's area?
Left temporal lobe
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What would damage to this area cause?
Wernicke's aphasia - problems in understanding/comprehending language
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What is the main form of evidence used to support localisation?
Brain scans
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What did Petersen et al find?
Used brain scans to demonstrate how Wenicke's area was active during a listening task and Broca's during a reading task
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What do his findings suggest?
That these areas of the brain have different functions
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What did Tulving et al find?
That semantic and episodic memories are in different parts of the prefrontal cortex.
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Give an example of a case study that can be used as evidence
Phineas Gage
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What conditions can neurosurgery still be used for?
Very severe OCD and depression
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What did Dougherty et al find?
Out of 44 OCD patients who had a neurosurgical procedure, 32 weeks later, 1/3 had a successful response and 14% for a partial response.
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What do these findings suggest?
Success of procedures like this suggest that symptoms and behaviours associated with disorders are localised.
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What research did Lashley conduct?
He removed areas of the cortex (10-50%) in rats that were learning a maze
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What did he find?
That no area was more important than the other in learning - all parts of the corex were needed.
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What do these findings suggest?
That learning is too complex to be localised - needs the whole brain ( a more holistic approach)
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Why should people be cautious when drawing conclusions from this research?
Because it was done on rats - may be different for humans.
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What is plasticity?
When the brain has become damaged, the rest of the brain will change to take over the lost functions
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Why does this limit localisation?
Lends to a more holistic theory - all of the brain is involved in all functions.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What did this theory suggest?

Back

That all parts of the brain were involved in processing of thought and action

Card 3

Front

Who were the two main people who started the move towards the localisation theory?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Define localisation of function

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Define lateralisation

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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