Chapter 13

Question 1

abulia

Answer 1

A symptom of brain damage, often to the frontal lobes, that manifests as flat affect, limited willpower, and reduced motivation.

Question 2

acquired sociopathy

Answer 2

A personality change, often following focal damage to the frontal lobes, in which a person’s behavior becomes sociopathic.

Question 3

anterior cingulate cortex

Answer 3

The portion of the midline frontal lobe comprising the anterior extent of the cingulate gyrus and adjacent cortex; its dorsal regions are associated with
executive functions.

Question 4

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Answer 4

A childhood disorder of unknown cause characterized by impulsiveness, short attention span, and continual activity.

Question 5

Baddeley model

Answer 5

A model, proposed by Alan Baddeley, positing that working memory consists of three memory buffers (the phonological loop, the visuospatial sketchpad, and the episodic buffer) that briefly maintain information, as well as a central executive that allocates attentional resources to the buffers.

Question 6

confabulation

Answer 6

In patients with memory disorders, the generation of false memories for complex autobiographical events.

Question 7

delay-period activity

Answer 7

In cognitive neuroscience studies of working memory, the observation of neural signals that persist while the research subject maintains information over time.

Question 8

disinhibition syndrome

Answer 8

Also called frontal disinhibition syndrome. A collection of behavioral signs and symptoms, typically caused by damage to the ventral prefrontal cortex; manifested by a loss of control, inappropriate outbursts, and a lack of inhibition in social settings.

Question 9

dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

Answer 9

A functional division of the prefrontal cortex roughly corresponding to the middle and superior frontal gyri, as located anterior to motor cortex and the frontal eye fields.

Question 10

dorsomedial prefrontal cortex

Answer 10

A functional division of the prefrontal cortex roughly corresponding to the medial surface dorsal to the corpus callosum.

Question 11

dysexecutive syndrome

Answer 11

Also called frontal dysexecutive syndrome. A collection of behavioral signs and symptoms, typically caused by damage to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; manifested by an inability to change behavior willfully and flexibly according to context.

Question 12

error-related negativity (ERN)

Answer 12

An electrophysiological marker that occurs when participants make errors in cognitive tasks.

Question 13

executive function

Answer 13

The cognitive functions that allow flexible and goal-directed control of thought and behavior.

Question 14

frontopolar cortex

Answer 14

The most anterior part of the prefrontal cortex.

Integration of rules

Question 15

lateral prefrontal cortex

Answer 15

The portion of the frontal lobes that lies along the lateral surface of the cerebral cortex, usually restricted to regions anterior to motor cortex.

Question 16

monitoring

Answer 16

The process that evaluates the appropriateness of a given behavior for the current context; examples include evaluating the accuracy of answers generated during a memory test or the adequacy of a response rule in an executive function paradigm.

Question 17

orbitofrontal cortex

Answer 17

The division of the prefrontal cortex that lies above the orbits in the most rostral and ventral extension of the sagittal fissure; important in emotional processing and decision making.

Question 18

P300

Answer 18

Also called P3. A large positive ERP wave elicited by stimuli that are surprising, are of an infrequent event type, or are task-relevant targets, usually when occurring within a stream of other sensory events; typically peaks between 300 and 500 milliseconds after the stimulus.

Question 19

perseveration

Answer 19

The repetition of a response despite changing stimuli or rules that make a different response more appropriate.

Question 20

phrenology

Answer 20

Originating in the early nineteenth century, the attempt to create maps of brain function based on the pattern of bumps and valleys on the surface of the skull.

Question 21

posterior parietal cortex

Answer 21

The region of the parietal cortex surrounding the intraparietal sulcus.

Question 22

prefrontal cortex (PFC)

Answer 22

Cortical regions in the frontal lobe that are anterior to the primary motor and premotor cortices; thought to be involved in planning complex cognitive behaviors and in the expression of personality and appropriate social behavior.

Question 23

reversal learning

Answer 23

The capacities for recognizing that the rules mapping environmental events to behavior have changed and for adjusting behavior accordingly.

Question 24

schizophrenia

Answer 24

A heterogeneous psychiatric condition characterized by disordered thought, withdrawal symptoms, and inaccurate beliefs about reality.

Question 25

ventrolateral prefrontal cortex

Answer 25

A functional division of the prefrontal cortex roughly corresponding to the inferior frontal gyrus and surrounding sulci, as located anterior to motor cortex.

Question 26

ventromedial prefrontal cortex

Answer 26

The ventral portion of the prefrontal cortex surrounding the hemispheric midline; plays a key role in the control of emotions and social behavior.

Question 27

volatility

Answer 27

The degree to which the rules governing environmental events (e.g., the delivery of rewards) are
changing or stable over time.

Question 28

Wisconsin Card Sorting Test

Answer 28

A cognitive test that involves classifying a set of cards, each showing one or more images of a simple shape, into categories based on rules that periodically change throughout the session.

Question 29

working memory

Answer 29

Memory held briefly in the mind that enables completion of a particular task (e.g., efficiently searching a room for a lost object).