Biopsychology 1.4
Problem 2 – Two Sides
Lateralization- division of labour between the two hemispheres of the brain
Analytic synthetic theory- left hemisphere is more logical and analytical whereas the
right is the synthesizer, it organises and processes info in terms of patterns or wholes
Motor theory- left hemisphere is specialised not for control of speech but for control
of fine movements
Linguistic theory- primary role of left hemisphere is language
each hemisphere controls the muscles on the opposite sides of the body
the left hemisphere is the dominant hemisphere
commissure- a tract of nerve fibres passing from one side to the other
optic cross- axons from each eye cross to the opposite side of the brain
corpus callosum-biggest commissure between the two hemispheres
the CC grows and thickens as myelin increases around axons during childhood and
adolescence
in early stages the brain generates more axons than it will have when its fully mature
this is because 2 neurones connected by the CC need to have corresponding
functions
connections take years to develop so some actions young children do resemble that
of split-brain patients
cutting the CC prevents the two hemispheres from sharing info
performed on epileptic patients
- can use both hands independently in a way others can’t
- left hemisphere controls speech so can say what the right visual field showed in a
split brain experiment
- when image or word presented in left visual field, ppt couldn’t name what they
saw but could draw a picture or pick a matching object with left hand
Problem 2 – Two Sides
Lateralization- division of labour between the two hemispheres of the brain
Analytic synthetic theory- left hemisphere is more logical and analytical whereas the
right is the synthesizer, it organises and processes info in terms of patterns or wholes
Motor theory- left hemisphere is specialised not for control of speech but for control
of fine movements
Linguistic theory- primary role of left hemisphere is language
each hemisphere controls the muscles on the opposite sides of the body
the left hemisphere is the dominant hemisphere
commissure- a tract of nerve fibres passing from one side to the other
optic cross- axons from each eye cross to the opposite side of the brain
corpus callosum-biggest commissure between the two hemispheres
the CC grows and thickens as myelin increases around axons during childhood and
adolescence
in early stages the brain generates more axons than it will have when its fully mature
this is because 2 neurones connected by the CC need to have corresponding
functions
connections take years to develop so some actions young children do resemble that
of split-brain patients
cutting the CC prevents the two hemispheres from sharing info
performed on epileptic patients
- can use both hands independently in a way others can’t
- left hemisphere controls speech so can say what the right visual field showed in a
split brain experiment
- when image or word presented in left visual field, ppt couldn’t name what they
saw but could draw a picture or pick a matching object with left hand
