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Cognitive Neuroscience > Executive Function > Flashcards

Executive Function Flashcards

1
Q

What is the role of the executive function?

A

. supports voluntary goal directed behavior

. takes part in initiation, switching, inhibition, and planning

. components of decision making & problem solving

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2
Q

What happens if you lesioned the prefrontal cortex?

A

. shows difficulty in initiating behaviors

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3
Q

What happens if you lesioned/ damaged the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex?

A

. shows a disorder = abulia = reduced motivation, lack of initiation

. shows a disorder = akinetic mutism = lack of desire to move but are able to move & talk if desired
. a subject does not speak or move but tracks w/ eyes and can withdraw from painful stimuli

. memory is still intact

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4
Q

What are the 3 different task switches?

A

. global switch cost
. local switch cost
. alternating switch cost

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5
Q

What is the global switch cost?

A

. cost associated w/ performing mixed block of tasks compared to performing in sequence

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6
Q

What is the local switch cost?

A

. cost associated w/ switching from one task to another

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7
Q

What is the alternating switch cost?

A

. cost associated w/ switching back to task that you just switched away from

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8
Q

How do you measure task switching in the lab and what are the results?

A

. using the N-back task with mix block (experimental) & pure block (control)

. Results = show additional activation of prefrontal parietal loops in mix block
. see increase in fatigue during task switching due to increased cognitive processing

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9
Q

What functions rely on the prefrontal cortex?

A

. inhibit prepotent behaviors

. keeping distractors out of working memory

. remove unimportant information out of working memory

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10
Q

How do you test for behavioral inhibition of prefrontal cortex in the lab?

A

. Stroop task

. subjects are ask to name the color in which it is presented

. shows the central executive is working to maintain the integrity of behavior

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11
Q

What happens when you have damage in the lateral prefrontal region?

A

. see subjects having preseveration

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12
Q

What is to preseverate?

A

. continue to perform an action when it is no longer correct even when they know that it is no longer correct

. results in the failure of flexible thinking

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13
Q

What happens when you have large frontal lobe lesions?

A

. patients will spontaneously interact with stimuli when placed in reach (behavior is dictated by environment - field dependent behavior)

. see problem with inhibition of prepotent response

. see absence of personal goal oriented behavior

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14
Q

What happens when you have lesion of the prefrontal cortex?

A

. will have poor planning

. inability to accomplish tasks efficiently

. will have inadequate time devoted to different task (poor planning)

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15
Q

How would you test activity of the prefrontal cortex in lab and what are the results?

A

. utilizing the Tower of Hanoi task

. subjects are asked to move all disk to last tower without placing a larger disk onto a smaller disk throughout the multiple towers

. requires the use of working memory which patients with lesions of prefrontal have difficulty with

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16
Q

What is the difference in the anatomy of the prefrontal cortex between humans and non human primates and other animals?

A

. humans and apes have prefrontal area larger relative to other regions of the brain

. demonstrates that prefrontal cortex have responsibilites of complex cognition

17
Q

What is the lateral prefrontal cortex composed of?

A

. dorsolateral & ventrolateral prefrontal cortex

18
Q

What does the medial prefrontal cortex include?

A

. anterior cingulate cortex

19
Q

What are the orbital regions of the prefrontal cortex responsible for?

A

. emotional processing

20
Q

What is the anterior prefrontal region (frontal pole) responsible for?

A

. engages in abstract problem solving task

. not visible in non human primates

21
Q

What are Broadmann areas 4, 6, 8?

A

. motor regions

. area 4 = ‘the worker’ (responsible for motor function - making voluntary movements)

. area 10 = ‘the ceo’ (responsible for planning of movement)

22
Q

What happens to the cells in the frontal cortex when moving more anterior of motor regions?

A

. cortex becomes more granular

23
Q

What kinds of cells exist in the prefrontal cortex?

A

. diverse pyramidal cells = more diverse inputs

. prefrontal cortex acts like sensory cortex in terms of circuits

24
Q

What are the different cerebral cortical layers?

A
  1. molecular layer
  2. external granular layer
  3. external pyramidal layer
  4. internal granular layer
  5. internal pyramidal layer
  6. multiform layer
25
Q

Which region of the brain provides inputs into the prefrontal cortex?

A

. thalamus (specifically the mediodorsal nucleus)

. bidirectional input from higher cortical regions in parietal & temporal lobes

26
Q

Which region of the brain does the prefrontal cortex project to ?

A

. amygdala (mainly projects to ventromedial PFC)

. hippocampus

27
Q

What are the functions of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex? What happens when you lesion this area?

A

. embodies computational mechanisms for monitoring & manipulating working memory for active retention, selection, & updating representations

. involves with executive function (motor planning, organization, regulation)

. extremely prolonged maturation

. requires connection from subcortical & cortical circuits for complex mental activity

. lesion causes increased forgetfulness

28
Q

What are the functions of ventromedial prefrontal cortex?

A

. important for social decision making

. plays role in inhibition of emotional responses

29
Q

What are the functions of anterior cingulate cortex?

A

. involves in rational cognitive functions (emotion, error recognition, problem solving)

. plays role in autonomic functions (blood pressure, heart rate)

30
Q

What are the motor projection circuits to striatal regions?

A

. parallel cortical-basal ganglia-cortical circuits
. circuits: cortex > striatum > GPi/SNr > thalamus

. SMA > putamen > lateral GPi/SNr > ventral lateral nucleus

31
Q

What are the associative projection circuits to striatal regions?

A

. parallel cortical-basal ganglia-cortical circuits
. circuits: cortex > striatum > GPi/SNr > thalamus

. DLPFC/OFC > caudate dl/vm > medial GPi/SNr > medial dorsal ventral anterior nucleus

32
Q

What are the limbic projection circuits to striatal regions?

A

. parallel cortical-basal ganglia-cortical circuits
. circuits: cortex > striatum > GPi/SNr > thalamus

. anterior cingulate cortex > ventral striatum > ventral pallidum/SNr > medial dorsal nucleus

Cognitive Neuroscience (3 decks)

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