Localisation of Function in the Brain

• What is the weight of the human brain mentioned in the text?

  1. 4 kilograms
• What does the brain allow us to do according to the text?

  It allows us to move our body, understand language, remember the past, and plan for the future
• What is the concept of localization of function in the brain?

  It is the idea that specific behavioral functions are localized to particular regions of the brain
• What are the six regions of the brain that demonstrate localization of function?

  • Visual cortex
  • Motor cortex
  • Somatosensory cortex
  • Auditory cortex
  • Broca's area
  • Wernicke's area
• Which hemisphere of the brain is Broca's and Wernicke's areas generally located in?

  Left hemisphere
• What is the significance of the term "contralateral" in relation to the brain's functions?

  It means that one hemisphere of the brain controls the opposite side of the body
• What is the thickness of the cortex in humans?

  Between 2 and 4 millimeters
• What is the visual cortex responsible for?

  It is responsible for visual processing
• What can damage to the visual cortex cause?

  It can cause partial or complete blindness
• Where is the motor cortex located?

  In the frontal lobe
• What happens if one side of the motor cortex is damaged?

  It can lead to loss of fine muscle function or paralysis on the opposite side of the body
• What is the function of the somatosensory cortex?

  It detects sensations from the opposite side of the body
• What can damage to the somatosensory cortex lead to?

  It can lead to loss of sensation from the opposite side of the body
• What is neglect syndrome?

  It is the loss of awareness of one side of the body
• What is agnosia?

  It is the inability to recognize objects by feeling them
• Where is the auditory cortex located?

  At the top of the temporal lobe
• What can damage to the auditory cortex lead to?

  It can lead to deafness
• What is Broca's area responsible for?

  It is responsible for speech production
• What is Broca's aphasia?

  It is difficulty in producing fluent speech
• What is Wernicke's area associated with?

  It is associated with understanding speech
• What is Wernicke's aphasia?

  It is difficulty in understanding written or spoken language
• What can damage to both Broca's and Wernicke's areas lead to?

  It can lead to global aphasia
• What are the limitations of localization of function research?

  • Damage can affect multiple areas, complicating conclusions
  • Modern imaging shows functions may be more distributed
  • Some functions like personality and consciousness are complex
• What did Lashley's 1925 study suggest about localization of function?

  It suggested that functions are spread out across the entire brain
• What is hemispheric lateralization?

  • Different functions are specialized in each hemisphere
  • The left hemisphere is dominant for language
  • The right hemisphere is dominant for visual-spatial tasks
• What does the sensory homunculus represent?

  It represents how different body areas require different amounts of sensory processing
• What is the appearance of white matter in the brain?

  It has a white appearance due to myelinated axons
• What is the appearance of grey matter in the brain?

  It has a grey appearance due to cell bodies
• What is the function of the central sulcus?

  It separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe
• What is the role of the occipital lobe?

  It is known as the visual processing center
• What happens to the visual field if one visual cortex is damaged?

  It results in sight loss in the opposite visual field
• What is the relationship between the motor cortex and voluntary movements?

  The motor cortex plans and carries out voluntary motor movements
• What is the significance of the auditory cortex in relation to sound?

  It receives auditory sensations from the ears
• What is the effect of damage to Broca's area?

  It leads to difficulty in producing fluent speech
• What is the effect of damage to Wernicke's area?

  It leads to difficulty in understanding language
• What is the relationship between Broca's and Wernicke's areas?

  They are both involved in language processing
• What is the impact of damage to both Broca's and Wernicke's areas?

  It can lead to global aphasia
• What does the term "global aphasia" refer to?

  It refers to the inability to produce or understand speech
• What is the significance of the case studies mentioned in the text?

  They demonstrate the loss of functional abilities due to brain damage in specific locations
• What modern techniques support the localization of function?

  Techniques such as fMRI