Executive Function

Question 1

Frontal lobe is ___% brain volume?

Answer 1

30

Question 2

3 types of subdivision for frontal lobe?

Answer 2

1. cytoarchitecture (Brodmann’s)
2. thalamic connection (efferent v. afferent)
3. functional properties

Question 3

Why was Phineas Gage famous?

Answer 3

dramatic change in personality with relative intellectual ability

Question 4

Anterior unit in Luria’s functional system is for?

Answer 4

planning executing/verifying behaviour

Question 5

what does executive function mean

Answer 5

inter-related processes responsible for goal directed, purposeful behaviour

Question 6

3 functional subdivisions of pre-frontal cortex

Answer 6

lateral
orbital
medial

Question 7

dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex supplied by which artery?

Answer 7

middle cerebral artery

Question 8

lack of insight means?

Answer 8

ppl don’t think anything is wrong with them

Question 9

medial PFC function? blood supply

Answer 9

emotional/motivational interface

anterior cerebral artery

Question 10

what is akinetic mutism?

Answer 10

physically able to do things: lack motivation

Question 11

orbitofrontal pre-frontal cortex main functions?

Answer 11

inhibition (emo, cog, social)
impulsivity
connected to limbic areas

Question 12

orbitofrontal pre-frontal cortex blood supply?

Answer 12

anterior and middle cerebral artery

Question 13

when does frontal lobe develop/degenerate compared to other lobes?

Answer 13

last to develop

first to degenerate in aging

Question 14

what is a positive process for neural development?

Answer 14

neuronal proliferation

Question 15

what is a negative process for neural development?

Answer 15

pruning/rearranging

Question 16

executive dysfunction is different from frontal lobe how?

Answer 16

you can get executive dysfunction without frontal lobe lesion, it’s a SYSTEM, any disruption in system can cause problems

Question 17

executive dysfunction positive vs. negative symptoms, which easier to miss?

Answer 17

negative symptoms

Question 18

difference between executive function and prefrontal cortex function?

Answer 18

prefrontal acts as ‘coordinator’ of executive function system

Question 19

formal neuropsych testing most sensitive to what lesions?

Answer 19

dorsolateral prefrontal cortex lesions

Question 20

7 common causes of executive dysfunction?

Answer 20

1. closed head injury
2. stroke
3. psychiatric conditions
4. dementias
5. focal lesions
6. inflammatory
7. developmental