Bio - Localisation of function

Question 1

Broca’s area

Answer 1

An area in the frontal lobe of the brain, usually in the left hemisphere, related to speech production.

Question 2

Localisation of function

Answer 2

Refers to the belief that specific areas of the brain are associated with specific cognitive processes.

Question 3

Motor cortex

Answer 3

A region of the brain responsible for the generation of voluntary motor movements.

Question 4

Somatosensory cortex

Answer 4

A region of the brain that processes input from sensory receptors in the body that are sensitive to touch.

Question 5

Wernicke’s area

Answer 5

An area in the temporal lobe of the brain important in the comprehension of language.

Question 6

Where is the motor cortex located?

Answer 6

Frontal lobe along the precentral gyrus.

Question 7

Which hemisphere has a motor cortex?

Answer 7

Both

Question 8

Which motor cortex controls which side of the body’s muscles?

Answer 8

The left motor cortex controls the right and the right motor cortex controls the left.

Question 9

Where is the somatosensory cortex located?

Answer 9

In the parietal lobe along the postcentral gyrus.

Question 10

What is the postcentral gyrus?

Answer 10

An area of the somatosensory cortex dedicated to the processing of sensory information related to touch.

Question 11

What does the motor cortex do?

Answer 11

Responsible for the generation of voluntary motor movements.

Question 12

What does the somatosensory cortex do?

Answer 12

Detects sensory events arising from different regions of the body - it uses sensory information from the skin to produce sensations of touch, pressure, pain and temperature, which it then localises to specific body regions.

Question 13

Which hemisphere has a somatosensory cortex?

Answer 13

Both

Question 14

Which somatosensory cortex receives sensory information from which side of the body?

Answer 14

Each hemisphere receives sensory information from the opposite side of the body.

Question 15

Where is the primary visual centre in the brain located?

Answer 15

In the visual cortex in the occipital lobe of the brain.

Question 16

Where is the visual cortex located in the brain?

Answer 16

In the occipital lobe.

Question 17

Where does visual processing begin?

Answer 17

In the retina, at the back of the eye, where light enters and strike the photoreceptors (rods and cones).

Question 18

How are signals sent from the retina to the brain?

Answer 18

Nerve impulses from the retina are transmitted to the brain via the optic nerve.

Question 19

Where do some of the nerve impulses from the retina travel to in the brain?

Answer 19

Some travel to areas of the brain involved in the coordination of circadian rhythms, but the majority terminate in an area called the thalamus, which acts as a relay station, passing this information on to the visual cortex.

Question 20

Which hemisphere has a visual cortex?

Answer 20

The visual cortex spans both hemispheres.

Question 21

Which hemisphere of the visual cortex receives input from which side of the visual field?

Answer 21

The right hemisphere receives its input from the left-hand side of the visual field and the left hemisphere receives its input from the right-hand side of the visual field.

Question 22

Why does the visual cortex contain several different areas?

Answer 22

Because each area processes different types of visual information, such as colour, shape or movement.

Question 23

What is the auditory centre in the brain concerned with?

Answer 23

Hearing

Question 24

Where does most of the auditory centre lay in the brain?

Answer 24

Within the temporal lobes on both sides of the brain where we find the auditory cortex.

Question 25

Where do we find the auditory cortex in the brain?

Answer 25

Within the temporal lobes.

Question 26

Which hemisphere has an auditory cortex?

Answer 26

Both hemispheres.

Question 27

Where do the auditory pathways begin?

Answer 27

In the cochlea in the inner ear, where sound waves are converted to nerve impulses, which travel via the auditory nerve to the auditory cortex in the brain.

Question 28

On the journey from the cochlea to the brain, where is the information first stopped?

Answer 28

At the brain stem.

Question 29

What happens to auditory information when it has reached the brain stem?

Answer 29

Basic decoding takes place, for example the duration and intensity of a sound.

Question 30

After the brain stem, where does the decoded auditory information go?

Answer 30

To the thalamus.

Question 31

What does the thalamus do to visual and auditory information?

Answer 31

It acts as a relay station passing visual information on to the visual cortex and processing the auditory stimulus before passing it onto the auditory cortex.

Question 32

Where is the last stop for auditory information?

Answer 32

The auditory cortex.

Question 33

What happens to auditory information when it reaches the auditory cortex?

Answer 33

Although the sound has been largely decoded by this stage, in the auditory cortex it is recognised and may result in an appropriate response.

Question 34

How did Broca identify the language centre of Broca’s area?

Answer 34

He treated a patient he referred to as ‘Tan’ because that was the only syllable the patient could express. He had an unusual disorder as he could understand spoken language but was unable to speak or express his thoughts in writing.

He studied 8 other patients all with similar language deficits, along with lesions in their left frontal hemisphere. He found those with damage to the right frontal hemisphere did not have the same language problems. This led him to identifying the existence of a ‘language centre’ in the posterior portion of the frontal lobe of the left hemisphere. This is believed to be critical for speech production.

Question 35

Who was Paul Broca?

Answer 35

A French neurosurgeon who treated a patient he referred to as ‘Tan’ because that was the only syllable the patient could express. He studied 8 other patients with similar deficits to help him identify Broca’s area for language.

Question 36

Where is Broca’s area located in the brain?

Answer 36

In the posterior portion of the frontal lobe of the left hemisphere.

Question 37

Which hemisphere has a Broca’s area?

Answer 37

The left hemisphere only.

Question 38

What is the function of Broca’s area?

Answer 38

Speech production.

Question 39

What have other neuroscientists discovered about Broca’s area?

Answer 39

That when people perform cognitive tasks that have nothing to do with language there is evidence of activity in Broca’s area.

This led to Fedorenko et al. (2012) discovering two regions of Broca’s area, one selectively involved in language, the other involved in responding to many demanding cognitive tasks (such as performing maths problems).

Question 40

Through which method of studying the brain did Broca mainly identify Broca’s area as a language centre for speech production?

Answer 40

Post-mortem examinations.

Question 41

What area of the brain is associated with speech production?

Answer 41

Broca’s area.

Question 42

What area of the brain is associated with understanding language?

Answer 42

Wernicke’s area.

Question 43

What is the function of Wernicke’s area?

Answer 43

Involved in understanding language.

Question 44

Where is Wernicke’s area located in the brain?

Answer 44

Posterior portion of the left temporal lobe in the left hemisphere.

Question 45

Which hemisphere has a Wernicke’s area?

Answer 45

The left hemisphere only.

Question 46

What did Wernicke propose?

Answer 46

That language involves separate motor and sensory regions located in different cortical regions.

The motor region, located in Broca’s area, is close to the area that controls the mouth, tongue and vocal cords.

The sensory region, located in Wernicke’s area, is close to regions of the brain responsible for auditory and visual input. Input from these regions is thought to be transferred to Wernicke’s area where it is recognised as language and associated with meaning.

There is a neural loop known as the arcuate fasciculus running between Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area. At one end lies Broca’s area, responsible for the production of language, and at the other lies Wernicke’s area, responsible for the processing of spoken language.

Question 47

Explain the relationship between the language centres including information about the neural loop.

Answer 47

That language involves separate motor and sensory regions located in different cortical regions.

The motor region, located in Broca’s area, is close to the area that controls the mouth, tongue and vocal cords.

The sensory region, located in Wernicke’s area, is close to regions of the brain responsible for auditory and visual input. Input from these regions is thought to be transferred to Wernicke’s area where it is recognised as language and associated with meaning.

There is a neural loop known as the arcuate fasciculus running between Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area. At one end lies Broca’s area, responsible for the production of language, and at the other lies Wernicke’s area, responsible for the processing of spoken language.