Localisation of function

• What is localisation of function?

  The theory that different areas of the brain are responsible for specific functions
• What is the motor area?

  A region of the frontal lobe involved in regulating movement
• What is the visual area?

  A part of the occipital lobe that receives and processes sensory visual information
• What is the auditory area?

  Located in the temporal lobe and concerned with the analysis of speech-based information
• What is Broca's area?

  An area of the frontal lobe in the left hemisphere responsible for speech production
• What is Wernicke's area?

  An area of the temporal lobe in the left hemisphere responsible for language comprehension
• What is the brain divided into?

  Hemispheres
• Who discovered that specific areas of the brain are associated with functions?

  Broca and Wernicke
• What theory did scientists believe in before localisation of function?

  Hollistic theory
• What is the holistic theory?

  All parts of the brain are involved in processing thought and action
• What happens if a certain area of the brain is damaged?

  The function associated with that area will be affected
• Activity on the left-hand side of the body is controlled by the right hemisphere
• Activity on the right-hand side of the body is controlled by the left hemisphere
• What is the cerebral cortex?

  The outer layer of both hemispheres
• What are the four lobes of the brain?

  Frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal
• What does the motor area control?

  Voluntary movement in the opposite side of the body
• What may damage to the motor area result in?

  Loss of control over fine movements
• What is the somatosensory area separated from the motor area by?

  A 'valley' called the central sulcus
• The amount of somatosensory area devoted to a particular body part denotes its sensitivity
• What does the somatosensory area control?

  Sensory information from the skin
• Damage to the left hemisphere can produce blindness in part of the right visual field of both eyes
• What may damage to the auditory area produce?

  Partial hearing loss
• What does the auditory area do?

  Analyses speech-based information
• Where is the language restricted to?

  The left brain
• What does damage to Broca's area cause?

  Broca's aphasia
• What is Broca's aphasia?

  Slow speech and difficulties with conjunctions/prepositions
• What does damage to Wernicke's area cause?

  Wernicke's aphasia
• What is Wernicke's aphasia?

  Nonsense words
• What area of Phineas Gage's brain was damaged?

  Frontal lobe
• What did Phineas Gage's case suggest?

  Frontal lobe may be responsible for regulating mood
• Which case study supports localisation of function?

  Phineas Gage