1- Intro to Neuropsychology

Question 1

Neuron hypothesis

Answer 1

• the unit of brain structure & function is the neuron
• neurons are nerve cells in the brain that send electrical signals via dendrites & axons and communicate with each other at synapses

Question 2

Patient H.M.

Answer 2

• removal of part of temporal lobe to treat epilepsy led to partial amnesia
• able to learn motor skills but unable to remember acquiring the skill
• demonstrated that there are multiple memory systems

Question 3

dorsal stream

Answer 3

pathway in charge of locating where a stimulus is

Question 4

ventral stream

Answer 4

pathway in charge of identify a stimulus

Question 5

fractionation assumption

Answer 5

belief that brain damage can result in selective impairments of components of cognitive processing

Question 6

modularity assumption

Answer 6

a complex psychological function can be represented in terms of more basic components of processing (i.e. modules)

Question 7

transparency assumption

Answer 7

the cognitive system of a brain damaged patient is fundamentally the same as that of a normal subject except for a local modification

Question 8

universality assumption

Answer 8

the model is true of “normal” human brains in general

Question 9

frontal lobe

Answer 9

governs motor skills, cognitive functions, language, speech, voluntary movement; predicts consequences of actions

Question 10

occipital lobe

Answer 10

processes visual cues

Question 11

parietal lobe

Answer 11

processes sensations of touch, pain, & pressure; helps with understanding objects, shapes, & space

Question 12

temporal lobe

Answer 12

helps sort out auditory information; contains Wernicke’s area, the hippocampus, & the amygdala; plays a role in recognition of objects & visual memory

Question 13

cerebellum

Answer 13

plays a major role in balance & voluntary motor skills