Higher Cognitive Functions Flashcards
What is the shortest type of memory, an what is it’s lifetime?
Sensory (immediate)
ms–>s
In memory what is encoding?
Processing of info to be stored
What is short term memory also known as?
Working memory
Explain the working memory model
Central executive controls 2 systems involved in rehearsal:
- phonological loop
- visuospatial sketchpad
What brain areas are involved in the phonological loop?
Left supramarginal gyrus
Left premotor region
What brain areas are involved in the visuospatial sketchpad?
Parieto-occipital regions in both hemispheres
What are the two types of DECLARATIVE long-term memory?
Episodic: events
Semantic: facts
Is DECLARATIVE memory flexible?
Yes
What are the brain regions involved in formation of DECLARATIVE memory?
- Hippocampus
Mammillary body
Rhinal cortex
Dorsal thalamus
What brain regions are involved in the storage of declarative memory?
Neocortex Frontal cortices (dorsolateral + anterolateral)
What is long-term NON-DECLARATIVE (procedural/implicit) memory for?
Skills and associations acquired
Is NON-DECLARATIVE memory flexible?
No
What is non-associative procedural learning?
Changes to motor response after repeated presentation to stimulus:
- Habituation - decreased response
- Sensitisation - increased response
What is classical conditioning associative procedural learning?
change in passive motor response after learned association (Palov’s dogs)
What is Instrumental/Operant conditioning associative procedural learning?
change in active motor response dyer association between more action and reward
Brain areas underlying non-declarative memory?
Cerebellum (motor) Amygdala (emotion) Basal ganglia Prefrontal cortex Sensory association cortex
What is anterograde amnesia?
Inability to form new memories
What is retrograde amnesia?
Difficulty retrieving memories
Synaptic plasticity: what are the effects of long term potentiation of CA1 (hippocampus)?
Increased efficiency/strength of synapse
Mediated by NMDA receptor
Synaptic plasticity: Long term depression in cerebellum occurs at____? And is mediated by___?
Parallel fibre - purkinje cell synapses
AMPA receptors
Association cortices receive input from…?
Other cortical areas
Thalamic nuclei
Sub cortical inputs
Examples of other cortical inputs:
Ipsilatetal cortico-cortical connections
Interhemispheric cortico-cortical connections
Examples of thalamic nuclei inputs:
Pulvinar nucleus - parietal assoc cortex
Medial dorsal nucleus - frontal assoc cortex
Examples of subcortical inputs:
- DA neurones in midbrain
- NA/5-HT neurones in reticular formation
- Cholinergic neurones in brainstem and basal forebrain
The state of selectively processing simultaneous sources of information is…?
Attention
ADHD suffers have smaller ___ and ____ in brain?
Prefrontal cortex
Basal ganglia
The inability to attend to stimuli on one side of body, caused by lesion to partial cortex is called_____?
Contralateral neglect syndrome
Symptoms of Balint’s syndrome caused by parietal cortex lesion are:
Simultanagnosia
Ocular apraxia
Optic ataxia
Brain regions involved in emotion (limbic system) are….?
Amygdala
Orbitofrontal cortex
Cingulate gyrus / thalamus / ventral basal ganglia
Language is detected in association cortices in which hemisphere?
Left
The part of the left FRONTAL cortex involved in language PRODUCTION is?
Broca’s area
Wernicke’s area is in the left ____ cortex and involved in _____?
Temporal
Understanding spoken language
Disorders of language (that don’t effort motor/sensory function) are called?
Aphasias
What are the symptoms of Conduction aphasia?
Difficulty repeating words
Due to lesions in pathway between Broca’d and Wernicke’s
What brain regions are most important for controlling executive control systems?
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
Ventromedial prefrontal cortex
The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is responsible for…?
- Initiating + changing behaviour
- Inhibiting behaviour
- Simulating behavioural consequences
The ventromedial prefrontal cortex is responsible for…?
- Inhibiting socially inappropriate behaviour
- sensitivity to consequences of action
What is the main brain region involved in attention?
Right parietal cortex
