Lecture 6 - The Cortex & Individual Differences Flashcards
1
Q
How has the brain changed for evolution?
A
- Cranium size increased
- Brain size relative to intelligence
2
Q
How do brain size and tool usage correlate?
A
- Advancement of tools as brain size increases
- Interaction with env increases
3
Q
Links between brain size and culture?
A
- Early ancestors had rudimentary societies
- Learnt how to be more efficient as we advance e.g making fires
- Modern humans build language/religion/societal factors
4
Q
Why are human babies different to other species?
A
- Come out before we are ready
- Take longer to mature
- Other animals mature faster and are born ready to walk etc. = more capable to interact with env
5
Q
Why does bigger brain size not equal higher intelligence?
A
- Bigger animals need bigger brains to help coordinate their limbs
- Depends on body size also: humans have largest brain size relative to body weight.
6
Q
What is more important? Brain size/Neuron density
A
- Neuron density: humans have a smaller brain than elephants but more neuron density
- Einstein had a smaller brain but his parietal lobe was 15% wider = visual/spatial cognition.
- Also had 80& more neuroglia = neurones can communicate more = smarter
7
Q
Relationship between neuron density and intelligence
A
- Looking at neurone density in brains post-death
- Those with high IQ = low neurite density/more structured organisation
- Low IQ = higher density, less organisation
- Implies size of cortex is not important, but how cells are organised and how they communicate
8
Q
What is the relationship of frontal cortex volume to intelligence?
A
- Weak evidence that it is linked to intelligence
- Anatomy is less correlated to intelligence
9
Q
Relationship between intellect and genetic abnormalities?
A
- Down syndrome is most common cause for intellectual disability due to extra chromosome
- Issues with articulation, syntax, verbal STM & LTM & Working Memory
- Visual spatial memory is retained
10
Q
What are the cortical differences in down syndrome?
A
- Frontal &Temporal regions: surface areas of brain decreases
- Increased thickness in cortex
- As normal people age, cortex is meant to thin = maturation of cognitive abilities into adulthood
- When normal people are born, we start with too many neurones, this decreases as we age = communication between neurones decides intelligence
- Fewer connections needed but pruning does not happen in DS babies
11
Q
What is the genetic contribution to cortical morphology?
A
- DZ twins show 30% of typical variation in grey matter density - in language centres and spatial association cortex
- MZ twins have stronger cortical areas. Relationship between how our cortexes develop and intelligence.
12
Q
What are the two types of creativity?
A
- Artistic: supplementary motor area & anterior cingulate
- Scientific: Left middle frontal gyrus & left middle occiptital gyrus (frontal cortex is more active)
- Different aspects of creativity = different areas
13
Q
What is a connectome?
A
- Brain regions do not work in isolation but work as a network:comm of diff parts in the brain.
- Connectome: fMRI methods to characterise network activity during divergent thinking tasks
- Predictive modelling uses whole brain connectivity patterns to predict individual traits and cog abilities
- High creative individuals have a high frequency of transitions between dynamic functional connectivity patterns (+ correlation with creativity)
14
Q
What networks does a person with higher creativity have?
A
- Frontal executive: between frontal and parietal
- Low creativity = diff network based on parietal and ventral network
- Ability to switch networks = correlated to creativity
15
Q
What about resting state functional connectivity and personality?
A
- Strong amount of correlation between brain activity and aspects of personality
- Neuroticism
- Extraversion
- Openness: frontal lobe activity
- Agreeableness
- Conscientiousness
