localisation of function - Maguire / draganski ERQ/SAQ

Aim of Maguire

To investigate if previously learnt spatial memory will influence the weight and size of the hippocampus

method of Maguire

• 16 right-handed male taxi drivers

• 50 right-handed males who don’t drive taxis as control

• taxi drivers had to have completed the “knowledge test” and have their license for 1.5 years

• control were taken from MRI database so their brains were already measured

How results were measured

• Voxel-based morphometry used to study density of grey matter in brain

• Pixel counting used to get the area of the hippocampus

• PP were scanmed with MRI and then compared to control condition MRI scans

Results of Maguire

• The posterior hippocampus of taxi drivers was significantly larger than the control condition

• The anterior hippocampus of taxi drivers was significantly smaller than the control condition

Relation to LOF

Posterior hippocampus is involved with previously learned spatial memory while anterior hippocampus could be more involved with encoding new spatial information.

Localisation of Function

Specific parts of brain have specific functions that relates to behaviours

Conclusion Maguire

In conclusion, previously learnt spatial memory affected the weight and size of the hippocampus because the pp who did the ‘knowledge test’ which was a tester for spatial memory, had a larger posterior hippocampus and a smaller anterior hippocampus.

Critical thinking LOF

Aim of Draganski

Method of draganski

Results of draganski

conclusion of draganski