Cognitive Neuroscience 1

Question 1

What is Cognitive Neuroscience?

Answer 1

The study of mental processes using brain-based methods

Question 2

What is the Lesion Method?

Answer 2

Examining the effect of brain damage or interference on specific cognitive functions

Question 3

What do Neuroimaging Techniques involve?

Answer 3

Using measures of brain activity as “markers” of different cognitive processes

Question 4

What is Prosopagnosia? Name one real life example and what we learned through the lesion method.

Answer 4

A selective inability to recognise faces e.g. Lincoln Holmes. Prosopagnosia patients can discriminate between very complex non-face objects so face-recognition must be a highly specialiised skill. The Right Fusiform gyrus is consistently damaged in Prosopagnosia and suggests there is a highly specialised brain structure for face recognition.

Question 5

What is a double dissociation and what is an example in memory?

Answer 5

When two factors effect two processes independently of each other. One can suffer damage to long term memory but retain short term memory e.g. H.M or vice versa e.g. K.F

Question 6

What is the temporal gradient and what causes this phenomenon?

Answer 6

The less one remembers the more recent the event. Because of frequent recall, earlier memories become consolidated over time.

Note: Amnesics can often recall early memories as well as normal people

Question 7

What are some disadvantages of using the Lesion Method?

Answer 7

Brain damage is a chance occurrence

Question 8

What is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation?

Answer 8

A high-powered magnet delivers magnetic pulses to the brain and temporarily interferes in cognitive processing in the targetted region.

Note: May overcome some limitations of the traditional lesion method