- HBS Exam Questions With Complete
Solutions
Why is the story of Phineas Gage considered so extraordinary? What does his story
teach us about the brain? - ANSWER-His injury was the 1st traumatic brain injury that
survived and recorded. Humans can survive pretty traumatic experiences. We can see
the effects it has on people.
New research is using functional MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), a scan of the
brain that shows specific areas that are activated during certain tasks, as a lie detector
test. Explain which area(s) of the brain you think might light up to show that you are
telling a lie or telling the truth. Explain your reasoning. - ANSWER-Frontal Lobe -
Happiness, speech, production, reasoning, and problem-solving.
Explain the function of the brain's limbic system. - ANSWER-Emotions, memory, and
stimulation.
Ten-year-old Alex Fuentes damaged his occipital lobe and his cerebellum in a car
accident. Explain to his parents some of the possible effects of this injury. - ANSWER-
Vision, balance, muscle coordination.
How did Gall and Penfield differ in their approach to studying brain function? -
ANSWER-Gall: His research was based on something called phrenology, so it wasn't
very specific.
Penfield: Used electrical stimulation on the brain to show that certain areas on the brain
to show that certain areas on the brain are responsible for specific movements. So this
method was much more scientific than Gall's.