Cognitive Control Flashcards
What is cognitive control and executive function?
A set of psychological processes that enable us to use our perceptions, knowledge and goals to select options and act purposefully in our environment
What are the 4 regions of the prefrontal cortex?
Lateral PFC
Orbitofrontal cortex
Frontal pole
Medial frontal cortex
What is the anterior-posterior gradient hypothesis?
For simpler working memory tasks, neural activity may be limited more posterior regions, and as tasks increase in difficulty, more anterior regions recruited
What are n-back tasks used for?
A task for assessing working memory
How does the n-back task work?
Responses required when stimulus matches on that was shown “n” trials earlier. Task is meant to capture the dynamic aspects of working memory.
What part of the brain increases with n’-back task difficulty?
LPFC
How is the action-outcome expectancy built?
Built through reinforcement learning, which involved rewards and punishments to increase of decrease the likelihood of a behavior occurring.
How are habits triggered?
Triggered by context/stimulus alone and no longer under control of a reward ( or punishment )
What are the potential symptoms of cognitive control deficits?
Perseveration - persists in a response known to be wrong
Apathetic, distractible, impulsive
Disregard social conventions and norms
Difficulty making decision, planning, and following rules
Awareness of their own deteriorating condition
Where is value represented in the human/mammalian brain?
Both the OFC and ACC support decision making and reinforcement learning
What is the conflict monitoring theory?
The theory proposes that anterior cingulate cortex contributes to cognitive control by detecting conflicts in information processing and signaling when increased top-down control is required.
What does the stroop test demonstrate?
The stroop phenomenon demonstrates that it is difficult to name the ink color of a color word if there is a mismatch between ink color and word.
What part of the brain is responsible for delay discounting?
OFC
What part of the brain is responsible for effort-discounting?
ACC
What part of the brain is responsible for keeping track of time delays?
LPFC
