localisation of function in the brain

localisation is

The theory that specific areas of the brain associated with particular physical and psychological function

cerebral cortex meaning

The outer layer of the brain. It is made up of the left and right hemisphere connected by a bundle of fibres called the corpus callosum, which enables messages to enter the right hemisphere to be conveyed to the left hemisphere and vice versa.

four lobes of each hemisphere

1. Frontal lobe

2. parietal lobe

3. occipital lobe

4. Temporal lobe

hemispheric lateralisation

functions are limited to only one hemisphere specialised functions, e.g. speech and language lateral to the left

frontal lobe functions

Writing

Intellect

Judgement

Coordination

Movement

planning

temporal lobe function

Memory

Learning

Auditory

Parietal lobe

sensation

Sensory combination

Proprioception (space concept)

Occipital lobe

Processing visual information

Six area areas of the brain

Somatosensory cortex: touch

Motor cortex: skilled movements

Visual cortex: sight

Auditory cortex: hearing

Broca's area: production of speech

Wernickers area: languages

somatotopically and contralateral means

somatotopically: point for point marking of the body onto a specific region of the brain

contralateral: the primary motor cortex on the right front lobe controls movement on the left side of the body and vice versa

Motor cortex

located in the front of lobe in both hemisphere

Responsible for the generation of voluntary motor movements by sending neural messages to the muscles via the CNS

contralateral and somatotopically

somatosensory cortex

Both hemisphere of the brain have this cortex in the anterior end of the parietal lobe

Contralateral and somatotopically organised

Visual cortex

occipital lobe

Visual processing begins in the retina at the back of the eye where light enters and strikes photo receptors. Nerve impulses from retina other than transmitted onto the brain via optic nerve

right hemisphere receives input from left-hand visual field and vice universal

Prosopagnosia is the loss of ability to recognise and identify faces

auditory cortex

temporal lobe in both hemispheres

Earring hearing, auditory pathways begin in poly in the inner ear with sound waves travel to the brain stem after converting into nerve impulses. Move onto the thalamus then auditory cortex were sound is recognised.

contralateral

weaknesses and strength

STRENGTHS

• strong clinical evidence, Phineas Gage

• practical applications

• The theory fails to account for neural plasticity, which is the brain's ability to adapt, recover, and shift lost functions to entirely healthy areas following a stroke or brain injury

WEAKNESSES

• Equipotentiality is a greater theory than localisation

• Lack of face validity due to beta bias