Neurophysiology Of Higher Cognition

Question 1

What does cognition require?

Answer 1

Extensive interactions between pyramidal cells of all neocortical association areas

Question 2

Language Conceptual System

Answer 2

provides concepts underlying our language
-Ex: noun mediation area receives input from ventral visual pathway and provides us with names of things

This is then passed to Mediational system

Question 3

Mediational system for language

Answer 3

Number of areas in temporal, parietal and frontal association area
-relays info to language implementation system

Question 4

How do we recognize language as babies?

Answer 4

Younger than 6 months, we recognize all sounds that might be language as distinct sounds

Between 6-9 months, brains change to recognize specific language sounds as native
-babies drop use of phenomena that don’t occur in their native tongue

By 1 year, process is complete and babbling will convert to true language

Question 5

When a second language is learned during language acquisition phase, which part of brain is used?

Answer 5

The new language activates the same pathway as first language!

If after language acquisition phase, there is an area adjacent of Brock’s area that is activated

Question 6

Social Cognition

Answer 6

Recognizing emotion in others activates same neurons as producing that emotion in ourselves

Question 7

Social Cognition Steps

Answer 7

1. Perception of facial expressions requires we identify face
   -uses superior temporal sulcus and fusiform gyrus
   —locks in on eyes, nose, and mouth (triangle)
2. Uses amygdala to bring in emotional component and lock in on the triangle above
3. Recognize Parsody
4. Activation of mirror neurons
   - anterior for goal of action
   - posterior of motor action
   - and superior temporal sulcus for visual input

Question 8

prosody

Answer 8

Study of tune and rhythm of speech and how these features contribute to meaning

Question 9

Steps of Perception of Parsody

Answer 9

1. Primary auditory cortex interprets basics of sound
2. Info sent to R posterior superior temporal sulcus where we bring together meaning of loudness, pitch, etc
3. Info then sent to frontal cortex to judge the emotional stimulus

Question 10

Theory of Mind

Answer 10

Ability to understand mental states and intentions of others and appreciate how these can differ from our own

Question 11

What does the theory of mind require?

Answer 11

Amygdala and connections to temporal lobe and orbitofrontal areas

Accessory pathways
-language is believed to serve as scaffold of ToM

Question 12

Does one have to have emotion comprehension for ToM to exist?

Answer 12

Yes! It is likely required for it

Question 13

Stimulus Encoding System of Decision Making

Answer 13

Makes decisions with known risks, and predicts consequence of actions

Uses:

• orbitofrontal cortex
• Ventromedial prefrontal cortex
• striatum

Question 14

Action Selection System

Answer 14

Learning from mistakes, encodes results of mistakes; decisions of ambiguous risks
-also involved in error detection

-anterior cingulate cortex

Question 15

Expected Reward System

Answer 15

Predicts the expected reward; ambiguous risks

• basal ganglia
• amygdala
• insular cortex (for social emotions)
• intraparietal cortex (somatosensory processing and planning)

Question 16

When judging the known risks of a decision, which part of the brain do we use?

Answer 16

Stimulus Encoding System

Question 17

When making a decision with unknown risks, which part of the brain do we use?

Answer 17

The expected reward system and eventually the action selection system