1.6 brain plasticity + specialization

plasticity

the brain’s ability to reorganize and adapt information in response to situations (changing pathways/regaining lost functions..)

split brain research

studies people who have undergone corpus callosotamy: two halves of the brain are split from each other

contralateral hemispheric organization

when the right of the brain controls the left side of the body, and vice versa

hemispheric specialization

each hemisphere of the brain differs in specialized functions

linguistic processing

cognitive process for understanding and producing LANGUAGES

broca’s area

on the left hemisphere of the brain in the frontal lobe; speech production, language processing, fixing grammar

broca’s aphasia

a language disorder caused by damage to the broca’s area; difficulty speaking with correct grammar, hard to form sentences

wernicke’s area

on the left side of the brain, in the temporal lobe; understanding/comprehending when others speak

wernicke’s aphasia

language disorder caused by damage to the wernicke’s area; trouble understanding others, may use nonsensical language

electroencephalogram ‘EEG’

non-inclusive neuroimaging technique used to record electrical activity in the brain; used to diagnose conditions

functional magnetic resonance imaging ‘fMRI’

neuroimaging technique used to measure brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow and oxygen levels

lesioning

technique used to the study the brain: intentionally damaging areas of the brain in experimental animals