Psychology2016

The Biological Perspective 85

Practice Quiz How much do you remember?

Pick the best answer.

1. Which brain structure allows us to pay attention to certain stimuli
   while ignoring others?
   a. medulla c. reticular formation
   b. cerebellum d. pons


2. Which brain structure relays incoming sensory information?
   a. thalamus c. reticular formation
   b. hypothalamus d. pons


3. If you were to develop a rare condition in which you were not able
   to remember to be afraid of certain situations, animals, or events,
   which part of the brain would most likely be damaged?
   a. cingulate cortex c. thalamus
   b. hypothalamus d. amygdala


4. What part of the brain can sometimes be referred to as the “rind” or
   outer covering?
   a. thalamus c. corpus callosum
   b. medulla d. cortex
   5. In which of the following lobes of the cortex would you find the pri-
   mary visual cortex?
   a. frontal c. occipital
   b. temporal d. parietal
   6. You have a dream in which you wake up to find that people around
   you are using words that make no sense. What’s more, your friends
   don’t seem to understand you when you speak. At one point in your
   dream, your mom tells you that you almost forgot your tree limb
   today. When you give her a puzzled look, she holds up your lunch-
   box and repeats, “You know, your tree limb.” Your predicament in
   your dream is most like which of the following disorders?
   a. Wernicke’s aphasia
   b. Broca’s aphasia
   c. apraxia
   d. spatial neglect

APA Goal 2: Scientific Reasoning

and Critical Thinking

Phineas Gage and Neuroplasticity

Addresses APA LO 2.2: Demonstrate psychology information

literacy.

Earlier in the chapter you read about neuroplasticity as well as the role of the frontal lobes

in the case of Phineas Gage. There is little question about the significant changes that

likely occurred in Phineas’s behavior and personality immediately following the accident

and trauma to his brain. However, based on what you know about the brain, his injury, and

neuroplasticity and recovery, what questions might you have regarding his behavior and

personality immediately before and after the injury and later in his life?

With regard to initial changes, it was reported that Gage went from being well bal-

anced, energetic, and a smart business man to being fitful, irreverent, and impatient to the

point that those who knew him said he was “no longer Gage” (Harlow, 1848). In turn, many

reports in psychology (including many psychology textbooks!) have previously suggested

Gage’s behavior and personality were permanently altered (Griggs, 2015; Macmillan, 2000;

Macmillan & Lena, 2010). It is also important to note that at the time of Gage’s accident,

not as much was known about specific aspects of brain function and injury, much less

recovery from brain injury.

As you have read, the actual amount of brain damage was not as well understood

until relatively recently. Recent investigations using reconstructions of his skull and other

methods have identified the most likely areas of brain damage. These studies have

revealed damage to the left frontal lobe, primarily the prefrontal and orbitofrontal areas,

and the white matter connections between the left frontal lobe and other parts of the

brain (Ratiu et al., 2004; Van Horn et al., 2012). Given these brain areas’ involvement in

goal-directed behavior, planning, personality, emotional control, and the connections to

other brain areas, it is easy to imagine the profound changes initially reported in Gage’s

behavior.