Final 5 (Association Cortex + Cognition)

Question 1

Heteromodal association areas are a combination of which two areas?

Answer 1

Primary and supplementary

Question 2

The primary areas of the brain and the supplementary (unimodal) areas of the brain are generally associated with ___________, ____________ and/or _________________. The heteromodal areas is where this information comes together.

Answer 2

Motor, sensory and/or vision

Question 3

The parietal/dorsal stream is related to what type of information?

Answer 3

Where? (analysis of motion and spatial relations)

Question 4

The temporal/ventral stream is related to what type of information?

Answer 4

What? (analysis of form and color)

Question 5

Puts together information provided by various unimodal association areas to accomplish more complex functions

Answer 5

Heteromodal association areas

Question 6

The majority of the brain is responsible for pulling together unimodal information; therefore the majority of the brain is _________________

Answer 6

Heteromodal

Question 7

Most of the cerebral surface of the brain is…

Answer 7

Association cortices (heteromodal)

Question 8

Responsible for complex processing that goes on between the arrival of input to the primary sensory cortices and the generation of behavior, function: loosely referred to as “cognition”

Answer 8

Association cortices

Question 9

Process by which we come to know the world

Answer 9

Cognition

Question 10

Cognition involves 3 functions, what are they?

Answer 10

1. Attending to complex stimuli
2. Identifying these stimuli
3. Responding (planning appropriate responses)

Question 11

Cognition involves:
1. Attending to complex stimuli
2. Identifying these stimuli
3. Responding (planning appropriate responses)

What areas of the brain are primarily responsible for each?

Answer 11

1. Attending to complex stimuli
   - Parietal cortex (where)
2. Identifying these stimuli
   - Temporal cortex (what)
3. Responding (planning appropriate responses)
   - Frontal lobes

Question 12

Cognition involves responding (planning appropriate responses to stimuli), the frontal lobes are primarily responsible for this. What are the three main responses?

Answer 12

• Restraint
• Initiative
• Order

Question 13

The ____________ cortex integrates complex information from sensory and motor cortices, and parietal and temporal association cortices.

Answer 13

Frontal

Question 14

In order to achieve the functions of cognition, association cortices are connected to many brain regions, name these areas

Answer 14

• Primary motor and sensory areas
• Thalamus
• Brainstem
• Hippocampus
• Basal ganglia
• Cerebellum

Question 15

Name the function(s) of each of these areas of the brain:
1. Parietal association cortex
2. Temporal association cortex
3. Frontal association cortex

Answer 15

1. Parietal association cortex
   - Attention
2. Temporal association cortex
   - Recognition
3. Frontal association cortex
   - Planning and decision making

Question 16

Damage to the parietal association cortex yields…

Answer 16

• Contralateral neglect
• Apraxia (typically occurs with left-sided damage)

Question 17

It is known that the parietal association cortex is associated with attention; therefore, what is suspected when there is damage to this area?

Answer 17

• Neglect
• Apraxia

Question 18

Damage to the temporal association cortex yields…

Answer 18

Damage on the right typically yields:
- Visual agnosia

Damage on the left typically yields:
- Aphasias

Question 19

It is known that the temporal association cortex is associated with recognition; therefore, what is suspected when there is damage to this area?

Answer 19

• Agnosia (right)
• Aphasia (left)

Question 20

Describes most of the cortex covering of the cerebral hemispheres, 6 cellular (laminae) with distinct cell populations

Answer 20

Neocortex

Question 21

The neocortex has 6 cellular (laminae) with distinct cell populations, these populations show similarities in…

Answer 21

• Density
• Size
• Shape

Question 22

Each cortical region of the neocortex has distinct connections, name four:

Answer 22

1. Primary source of inputs and outputs
2. Vertical and horizontal axis connections
3. Radial alignment
4. Interneurons (connect functionally to similar cell groups)

Question 23

What are the primary sources of input to the neocortex and ultimately the association cortices?

Answer 23

• Thalamus
• Other cortical areas
• Brainstem modulatory systems

Question 24

Explain the thalamus as a primary source of input to the association cortices

Answer 24

The thalamic nuclei for primary sensory/motor (VPL/VPM and LGN) receive info from the periphery (primary and secondary sensory areas)

The pulvinar and medial dorsal nuclei receive information from the cortex

Question 25

The pulvinar and medial dorsal nuclei of the thalamus receive information from the cortex, which area of the cortex is each connected to?

Answer 25

Pulvinar = parietal association cortex Medial dorsal nuclei = frontal association cortex

Question 26

The association cortices receive input from the thalamus. The two thalamic nuclei that provide much of the subcortical input to the association cortex are...

Answer 26

The medial dorsal nucleus and the pulvinar nucleus

Question 27

The medial dorsal nucleus and pulvinar nucleus receive information from other regions of the cortex rather than...

Answer 27

receiving peripheral sensory information.

Question 28

A main source of input to the association cortices is cortico-cortical connections (other cortical areas). This includes ipsilateral connections and inter-hemispheric connections, explain each

Answer 28

Ipsilateral connections: from primary and secondary sensory and motor cortices on the same side of the brain. Inter-hemispheric: from corresponding and non-corresponding regions of cortex on the other side of the brain (via corpus callosum and anterior commissure).

Question 29

A main input source to the association cortices is brainstem modulatory centers, explain the function of this connection

Answer 29

Brainstem modulatory centers act like "dimmer switches" to turn overall activity up or down.

Question 30

Explain the brainstem modulatory centers as they relate to input to the association cortices

Answer 30

Upper brainstem = norepinephrine (noradrenergic), serotonin, glutamate Upper brainstem & reticular formation = acetylcholine and glutamate Basal forebrain = cholinergic

Question 31

What are the primary sources of outputs of the association cortices?

Answer 31

1. Other cortical areas (ipsilateral) 2. Other cortical areas (contralateral) 3. Subcortical structures 4. Thalamus

Question 32

The thalamus acts a source of both input and output of the association cortices, true or false?

Answer 32

True

Question 33

In the neocortex, each layer has both vertical and horizontal connections. Cells with similar functions are wired together into _____________ arranged ______________.

Answer 33

Cells with similar functions are wired together into columns arranged radially.

Question 34

Connectivity of association cortices is the same as connectivity of primary cortices and unimodal association cortices, true or false?

Answer 34

False, connectivity of association cortices is DIFFERENT from connectivity of primary cortices and unimodal association cortices

Question 35

Connectivity of association cortices is DIFFERENT from connectivity of primary cortices and unimodal association cortices, how do they differ?

Answer 35

1. Inputs come from other regions of the cortex rather than the periphery (information has already been processed) 2. Cortical-cortical connections - Ipsilateral (primary and secondary sensory/motor cortices) - Contralateral (corpus callosum and anterior commissure) 3. Subcortical connections - Midbrain (dopaminergic nuclei) - Reticular formation - Brainstem

Question 36

The primary source(s) of inputs to the primary cortices is/are...

Answer 36

The periphery

Question 37

The primary source(s) of inputs to the heteromodal association cortices is/are...

Answer 37

1. Thalamus 2. Other cortical areas 3. Brainstem modulatory systems

Question 38

The primary output(s) of the primary cortices is/are...

Answer 38

Spinal cord neurons

Question 39

The primary output(s) of the heteromodal association cortices is/are...

Answer 39

- Thalamus - Other cortical structures - Subcortical structures

Question 40

Where do association cortices get the majority of their input? A) Axons from the periphery B) The frontal lobe C) Other parts of the brain

Answer 40

C) Other parts of the brain