Lecture 13 - Cognitive Neuropsychology

Question 1

What is this lecture on?

Answer 1

Brain damage and the mind

Question 2

Overview of what we have learned from studying people with brain damage

Answer 2

• Study of the loss of cognitive functions after brain
  injury or disease
• To find out which regions of the brain are specialised
  for what functions “Localisation of cognition”
• To find out how cognitive functions are organised
• Modern neuroscience: All functions are mediated by
  networks of brain regions
• Impairments after damage doesn’t necessarily mean
  that the damaged region is the ‘locus’ of the function
  could be due to disconnection

Question 3

What are some main points of this lecture?

Answer 3

• Brain injury due to stroke, infection, closed head injury, etc.
• Brain disease due to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s
  disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease etc
• Single case studies (or small groups)
• Generalisable?
• Difficulties knowing exact location and extent of damage?
• Brain imaging with magnetic resonance imaging
• Impairments after damage doesn’t necessarily mean that the damaged
  region is the ‘locus’ of the function
• What precise function/process is being measured (e.g., a function isn’t the
  same as a task)
  – An issue for all psychology – not just neuropsychology