Executive Dysfunction

Question 1

What is the difference between the lateral and orbitofrontal regions of the PFC?

Answer 1

• Lateral: Grows in spurts and finishes developing later, complex cellular organization
• Orbitofrontal: Develops linearly, finishes developing earlier, and more simple cellular organization

Question 2

Compare and contrast the two lateral regions of the PFC.

Answer 2

• Ventrolateral: Important for receiving and updating information and discriminating relevant information from potentially distracting information
• Dorsolateral: Connects to hippocampus and temporal lobes and is associated with the maintenance of information within WM, supports planning

Question 3

What is the main symptom experienced by those with damage to the ventromedial PFC?

Answer 3

• includes orbitofrontal cortex

- Show inappropriate social behaviour and judgement

Question 4

What are the 4 parts of the cingulate cortex and their main functions?

Answer 4

1) Anterior cingulate: social and emotional processing
2) Middle cingulate: monitoring, attention, initiation, reward-based decision making
3) Posterior cingulate: body orientation, imagery related to self
4) Retrosplenial cingulate: episodic memory and retrieval

Question 5

Explain the 2 relationships between workload and tasks and switches and workload.

Answer 5

• Monitoring workload grows linearly as number of tasks increases
• Monitoring workload grows exponentially as number of tasks increases – number of switches

Question 6

What are the 4 types of executive function disorders? Damage to which brain regions are associated with each?

Answer 6

1) Goal maintenance: fronto-polar region
2) Cognition and monitoring: PFC
3) Drive and energization: dorsomedial PFC and mid cingulate
4) inappropriate social behaviour: ventromedial PFC