Frontal subcortical circuits and syndromes

Question 1

3 subregions of the frontal lobe

Answer 1

dorsolateral, orbitofrontal, medial

Question 2

Functions of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

Answer 2

episodic memory (e.g. organization at encoding and strategic search at retrieval; prospective memory; source memory) and executive functions

Question 3

Executive functions

Answer 3

lower-order cognitive functions that support goal-directed and volitional behavior and are most active in novel situations or when there is a need to override autopilot

Question 4

3 core executive functions

Answer 4

cognitive flexibility, working memory, inhibitory control

Question 5

Cognitive flexibility

Answer 5

fluidly changing perspectives or approaches to solving problems, adjusting to new demands, switching between priorities or tasks

Question 6

Working memory

Answer 6

holding and mentally working with information in mind

Question 7

Inhibitory control

Answer 7

resisting temptations, not acting impulsively or prematurely, and overriding automatic behavior

Question 8

5 higher-order cognitive functions

Answer 8

planning, organizing, multi-tasking, problem-solving, reasoning

Question 9

Functions of the medial/anterior cingulate cortex

Answer 9

energizing through activation of brain signals, self-referencing (e.g. self-monitoring of performance, self-awareness of emotions), perspective-taking or ToM

Question 10

Functions of the orbitofrontal cortex

Answer 10

evaluates rewards and punishments; integrates external and internal feedback; uses emotional and visceral states to guide behavior; contingency-based learning (e.g. through social norms)

Question 11

Which are the hot and cold frontal-subcortical circuits?

Answer 11

orbitofrontal; dorsolateral

Question 12

Nucleus accumbens

Answer 12

aka the ventral striatum; anterior portions of the caudate nucleus and putamen that are fused together

Question 13

Dorsolateral circuit dysfunction

Answer 13

distractible, disorganized, perseverative, difficulty multitasking, poor time management and prioritization

Question 14

Medial circuit dysfunction

Answer 14

apathetic, blunted affect, loss of empathy (egocentric), anosognosia

Question 15

Anosognosia

Answer 15

lack of awareness of one’s own deficits

Question 16

Orbitofrontal circuit dysfunction

Answer 16

impulsive, socially inappropriate, poor safety judgement, difficulty evaluating anticipated rewards and punishments, failure to learn from mistakes due to diminished guilt and regret

Question 17

Diseases that affect the frontal systems

Answer 17

traumatic brain injury, stroke (anterior cerebral artery or basal ganglia), frontotemporal dementia, brain tumor, subcortical and white matter diseases, ADHD, schizophrenia

Question 18

Severe and extensive frontal lobe damage

Answer 18

abulia; return of primitive reflexes like grasp (i.e. frontal release signs); utilization behavior or inability to override stimulus-driven behavior

Question 19

Abulia

Answer 19

severe form of apathy