JUDITH JECINTER AKINYI
HNU 112: Activity 3.4
Question 1.
The frontal lobe is involved in several important functions:
 Motor function- the primary motor cortex initiates and controls voluntary
movements of the body.
 Speech production- the dominant frontal lobe contains Broca’s area which
programs the movements of the lips, tongue and larynx needed for
articulation.
 Higher executive functions such as planning, decision making and problem
solving.
Question 2.
The stroke affected the left frontal lobe, damaging areas responsible for speech and
movement. Language functions are lateralized to the dominant hemisphere, which
is in the left in most people. The left frontal lobe contains Broca’s speech area
which plans and programs the motor sequences of speech. Damage here leaves
comprehension intact but makes the speech effortful, slow and halting _expressive
aphasia.
The primary motor cortex is located in the frontal lobe. Motor pathways from each
cerebral hemisphere generally decussate in the lower brainstem thus the left motor
cortex controls mainly the right side of the body. A stroke damaging the left motor
cortex can thus weakness or paralysis on the right side.
Question 3.
Localization of function is the principle that specific brain regions are specialized
for specific functions. The cortex is divided into lobes with distinct roles; the
thalamus relays information to the cortex while the hypothalamus controls
endocrine function, the cerebellum coordinates movement while the medulla
controls breathing and reflexes. This case is a clear demonstration of localization –
a lesion in a clearly defined region predictably abolished the functions assigned to
that region (speech production and right sided movement) while leaving other
functions intact.