2B. Brain and Behaviour

Question 1

4 stages of memory?

Answer 1

registration
encoding (processing the received info)
storage
retrieval

Question 2

Describe the critical period for language acquisition

Answer 2

Ease of learning decreases from 3-8 years

After age of 10, ease of learning is considerably lower than in early life

Question 3

Describe the anatomical mapping of language centres in the brain

Answer 3

Most left and right handed people are left-lateralised

Question 4

What is the function of Broca’s area and where is it found?

Answer 4

Produces speech

Left frontal lobe

Question 5

What is the function of Wernicke’s area and where is it found?

Answer 5

Understands language

Superior temporal lobe

Question 6

Recall 3 features of Brica’s aphasia

Answer 6

Non-fluent speech
Intact comprehension
Poor syntax
poor repetition

Question 7

Recall 3 features of Wernicke’s aphasia

Answer 7

Fluent but meaningless speech
Semantic and phonemic paraphasias
Writing impairment

Question 8

Define “executive functioning” and dysexecutive syndrome

Answer 8

Executive functioningskills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully.

Dysexecutive syndrome involves the disruption of executive function and is closely related to frontal lobe damage

Question 9

Features of dysexecutive syndrome?

Answer 9

Behavioural/emotional:
Hyperactivity (impulstivity etc) /hypoactivity (lack of drive etc)
Rude (swear a lot)
Reduced empathy

Cognitive:
poor planning +organisation
difficulty mutltitasking/switch between tasks

Question 10

Outline the classification for long term memory

Answer 10

Declarative (facts): Episodic or semantic
Non declarative (assessed without consciousness): Procedural, priming, conditioning and non-associative learning.

Question 11

2 Main types of aphasia

Answer 11

Expressive (Broca’s) Aphasia = problem with producing speech (intact COMPREHENSION because Wernicke’s area is intact)

Receptive (Wernicke’s) Aphasia = problem with understanding language but can produce fluent speech because Broca’s area is in tact. This leads to MENINGLESS speech

Question 12

Outline some strategies of enhancing memory

Answer 12

1. Order (primacy + recency effect)
2. Personal salience
3. Grouping similar things together
4. avoid overloading
5. Repeat the info
6. mneumonics