44: Higher Cognition

Question 1

Cognition: synapses

Answer 1

Requires extensive synaptic interactions between pyramidal cells of all neocortical association areas

Question 2

Three phases of babies learning language

Answer 2

1. Younger than 6 months: language universalists: recognize all sounds that might be language as distinct sounds
2. 6-9mo: start recognizing specific language sounds of native language and drop phenomes that dont occur in native language
3. 1yr+: babbling starts converting to spoken language

Question 3

Pathway of 2nd language learning in a child vs adult

Answer 3

Child: if during language acquisition phase, the 2nd language uses the same pathway as the first
Adult: 2nd language activates adjacent pathways in Broca’s, not the same pathway

Question 4

How a normal persons scans a face vs someone with amygdala damage

Answer 4

Normal: scan face roughly in a triangle, looking mostly at eyes, nose, and mouth
Amygdala damage: very little time looking at eyes, doesn’t scan methodically

Question 5

Mirror neuron system**

Answer 5

Same neurons that produce emotion in us are the ones that recognize emotion in someone else