A woman slaps accurately at a mosquito biting her leg, yet she is completely unable to get a key out of her pocket and use the key to open a door. This woman most likely suffers from damage to her __________.
A) somatosensory cortex-projection area for skin of legs
B) frontal lobe-area just in front of motor cortex
C) temporal lobe-cortex surrounding Wernicke's area
D) corpus callosum-tissue connecting the parietal lobes

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The frontal lobe, specifically the area just in front of the motor cortex, is responsible for executive functioning, including planning and decision making. This woman's difficulty with getting a key out of her pocket and using it to open a door suggests dysfunction in this area. Her ability to slap a mosquito on her leg suggests that her somatosensory cortex and motor cortex are functioning appropriately. Damage to the temporal lobe or corpus callosum would not necessarily affect key retrieval and door opening in this way.

A Woman Slaps Accurately at a Mosquito Biting Her Leg