Lecture 10 - attention and the parietal lobes & cognitive control and the frontal lobes Flashcards
What are the main functions of the frontal lobe related to cognitive control?
The frontal lobe is involved in the cognitive control of behavior, including executive functions such as reasoning, planning, problem-solving, inhibitory control and working memory. - It also plays a role in motor functions (premotor cortex for motor planning and primary motor cortex for execution) and speech (Broca’s area)
What is the role of the parietal lobe in attention?
The parietal lobe directs attention (e.g. eye movements to explore the visual world), represents spatial awareness (linking vision to action), and includes the primary somatosensory cortex for the perception of touch and pain. Damage to the parietal lobe can cause spatial neglect, where individuals ignore stimuli on one side of space.
What is the difference between top-down and bottom-up processes in perception and behavior?
- bottom-up processes: driven by external stimuli or unconscious states, such as automatic attention captured by salient stimuli
- top-down processes: involve cognitive control or volitional choice, modulation by prior knowledge and experience, such as consciously selecting and prioritizing stimuli according to task or goal
How did William James define attention?
Willian James defined attention as “taking possession of the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seems several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought”
What are the characteristics of attention in terms of selectivity and capacity?
attention involves selectivity, prioritising stimuli based on location or features relevant to a goal
- has a limited capacity, meaning resources for attention are limited
- we cannot attend to all incoming sensory information simultaneously
How do the parietal and prefrontal cortex contribute to attention?
The parietal and prefrontal cortex form a network that mediates attention. Different areas are involved in goal-directed (top-down) and stimulus-driven (bottom-up) attention, as shown by brain imaging studies and research on patients with brain lesions
What is spatial neglect, and what causes it?
spatial neglect is a deficit in directing attention to one side of space, typically caused by a lesion (damage) to one hemisphere of the frontal or parietal cortex, often due to a stroke. Patients with spatial neglect ignore stimuli on the side contralateral to the brain lesion
What disorders are associated with impaired inhibitory control?
Disorders associated with impaired inhibitory control include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Obsession Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and various reward addictions (e.g. gambling, internet addictions)
What is the Continuous Performance Task, and how is it used?
The Continuous Performance Task is a neuropsychological test used to assess attention deficits.
Participants are asked to respond to stimuli presented on a screen, such as reading letters aloud except for a specific letter. It is sensitive to attention deficits and relies on frontal cortex executive control
Who was Phineas Gage, and what did his case reveal about the frontal lobe?
Phineas Gage was a railroad worker who suffered a traumatic brain injury when an iron rod passed through his frontal lobes.
His case revealed that the frontal lobes are crucial for personality, behavior regulation and executive functions
What was the purpose of frontal leucotomy (lobotomy), and why was it performed?
Frontal leucotomy (lobotomy) was introduced by Egas Moniz for the treatment of severe psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It was based on observations of temperament changes in chimpanzees with frontal lobe lesions and aimed to provide a “calming” effect
What are the symptoms of Fronto-Temporal Dementia (FTD)?
symptoms of FTD include:
- disinhibition (impulsive behavior, lack of social tact)
- apathy (lack of motivation, emotional withdrawal)
- loss of empathy (unaware of others’ emotions) - deficits in executive functions (planning, reasoning, organizing complex tasks)
