Executive function and ADHD - Week 8 Flashcards
What is executive function and give an example of an executive function?
- Mental processes that are involved in the coordination of other cognitive skills
E.g.
Planning
Attention control
Working memory
Self - Regulation
What area of the brain is linked to EF and what is the famous case study linked to it ?
- PFC , Phineas Gage
What is the Somatic Marker Hypothesis ?
suggests thatemotions play a crucial role in decision-makingby creating “somatic markers” (bodily signals) that help guide choices based on past experiences.
What is the role of the Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC)
- Integrates emotional responses (somatic markers) from past experiences to predict future outcomes
Links to Gage and SMH
What are the key aspects of goal directed behavioural affected by frontal lobe damage
- Planning and sequencing:Difficulty breaking down complex tasks into manageable steps and organizing actions in a logical sequence.
- Initiation:Lack of motivation or drive to start tasks, even when aware of the goal.
- Inhibition:Difficulty suppressing irrelevant stimuli or impulsive behaviours, leading to distractions and poor decision-making.
- Monitoring and self-correction:Inability to detect errors in one’s actions and adjust behaviour accordingly.
- Flexibility:Difficulty switching between tasks or strategies when needed.
Specific areas within the frontal lobe and their related impacts on goal-directed behaviour:
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC):
Primarily responsible for working memory, planning, and complex decision-making.Damage to this area can lead to significant difficulties in goal-directed behaviour, particularly in tasks requiring sustained attention and flexible thinking.
Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC):
Plays a crucial role in emotion regulation, value-based learning and social judgment.Damage to this region can lead to impulsive behaviour, poor decision-making based on emotional factors, and difficulties with social interactions., links to gambling
Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC):
Involved in conflict monitoring and error detection.Lesions in the ACC can result in difficulties with goal-directed behaviour due to impaired ability to identify and correct errors., may struggle in the stroop test, and adjusting hteir behaviour when they make mistakes
What brain area is used in maintaining more than one task at one time?
- The frontopolar cortex
What is Relative Age
the biases that individuals experience based on their birth date relative to cut off dates such as school years
How does ADHD link to RAE
Kids who are the youngest in hteir year such as august 31st are much more likely to develop ADHD
What are the 3 brain areas linked to initiating motor action
- Medial pfc
- Anterior cingulate
- SMA
How can we exhibit executive function and what is one brain area linked to it ?
- A goal centered approach and the DLPFC links to it
What are 2 key areas that are linked to planning ?
- DLPFC and VLPFC
- Superior parietal cortex - people with lesions here find it hard in the Tower of London task
