PSYC 492 UNIT 3 - Executive Functioning/Attention Flashcards
selecting which senses to focus on and which to inhibit
sensory selective attention
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
Name the three brain structures most closely associated with attention.
parietal lobes, frontal lobes, cingulate regions
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
Four primary elements of attention:
- sensory slelective attention
- executive attention
- attentional focus
- sustained attention
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What are the four elements of sensory selective attention? Desribe which brain structures are responsible for each element and whether it is effortful/controlled or automatic.
The following aspects of sensory selective attention are automatic and controlled by the parietal and temporal lobes:
- filtering and integration
- orienting and shift of attention
- engagement and disengagement
The following aspect of sensory selective attention is controlled/effortful and controlledf by the frontal lobe, basal ganglia, and limbic nuclei:
- directed attention, active search and shift
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What are the four elements of executive attention?
- beyond just sensory attention; selective attention with a goal in mind and involves prioritization and regulating responses
- Response intention: “choose”/decide on staying focused or getting distracted
- Response selection: weigh and select optimal response
- Control: initiate, factors control strength/continuation of response, active switching
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What is response intention?
an aspect of executive attention that involves “choosing”/deciding on staying focused or getting distracted
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What is response selection?
an aspect of executive attention that involves weighing and selecting the optimal response
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What is control?
an aspect of executive attention that involves initiation of action, along with factors that control strength/continuation of response, and active switching
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
Describe attentional focus.
Attentional focus involves the strength of attentional engagement; cognitive/mental resources directed toward object
- Depends on context (valence of stimulus)
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What is attentional focus constrained by?
structural capacity (intrinsic) and energetic capacity (transient)
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
Describe sustained attention.
Sustained attention is the maintenance of engagement for long periods of time.
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What are some types of sustained attention?
- Vigilance (waiting for a rare event)
- Persistent responding (detecting targets at a high rate)
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What is neglect?
losing awareness of one side of spatial or personal space; attention is “pulled” to one side
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
Neglect is not caused by ——— or ———– problems.
sensation; motor
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
Which areas of the brain are typically associated with neglect?
In general, neglect is the result of parietal lobe dysfunction and is, specifically, associated iwth parieto-occipital or inferior parietal damage
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
True or False:
Facets of sensory attention can be automatic or controlled/effortful.
True
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
True or False:
Attentional focus, or the amount of mental resources we devote toward something may be influenced by both intrinsic and transient factors.
True
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What are the primary structures associated with attention:
- parietal, frontal, cingulate regions
- temporal, frontal, occipital regions
- parietal, basal ganglia, cingulate regions
- basal ganglia, limbic, cerebellar regions
parietal, frontal, cingulate regions
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
True or False
Neglect is due to a deficit in the visual sensory system.
False
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
Define executive function.
Processes used to guide behavior toward a goal, especially in non-routine situations; plan, adapt, regulate
A catch-all term for lots of processes
Engages in supervising and directing various processes to help engage in goal-directed behavior.
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
Executive functioning abilities are ever—————-
shifting
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
The dorsolateral circuit handles ———– cognitive function and the ———- organization of behavior.
“higher order”; temporal
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
The ———————- neural circuit manages attentional control, working memory, preparatory motor set (movement preparation), and response monitoring (maintenance and modification of behaviors.)
dorsolateral circuit
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
The orbitofrontal circuit is responsible for which behaviors:
- inhibitory responses specific to regulation of emotional/social cues/behavior
- ability to empathize
- attach autonomic/somatic tags “gut feelings” that influence behavior
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What behaviors is the anterior cingulate circuit responsible for?
- response monitoring
- error detection
- conflict resolution (not referring to interpersonal interaction; only referring to competing responses in the brain; e.g., “do I choose a. or c.?”
- initiation and motivation
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What is Executive Function?
processes used to guide behavior toward a goal, especially in non-routine situations; plan, adapt, regulate
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What are three words that apply to executive function?
adapt, plan, regulate
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
—————— is often used as a catch-all term for a lot of processes.
Executive Function
Think of a CEO who engages in supervising and directing processes to help engage in goal-drected behavior.
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
Executive functioning disabilities are ever—————–.
shifting
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
Some executive functions can come “online” as early as ———-, but there is ———— in what comes on when.
5 months; variance
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
List the order in which executive functions seem to come online, as found by Anderson (2002).
- attentional control
- cognitive flexibility
- goal-setting
- information processing
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
The ————– circuit is responsible for “higher order” functions.
Dorsolateral
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
The dorsolateral circuit manages ———- organization of behavior.
temporal
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What is response monitoring, and which neural circuit is responsible for it?
Response monitoring is the maintenance and modification of behaviors. Example: working on a homework assignment, then thinking about whether you should continue working on this assignment or move on to a different one.
Dorsolateral circuit
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
List and describe four functions managed by the dorsolateral circuit.
Attentional control: Choosing to direct your focus to a priority task
Working memory: doing “mental math;” holding onto and manipulating information in your head
Preparatory motor set: movement preparation; directing/planning your movement to achieve whatever task you are engaged in at the moment
Response monitoring: maintenance and modification of your behaviors; thinking about whether you should continue with a behavior, etc.
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What aspect of dorsolateral circuit functions would be associated with the following behaviors?
- Thinking about whether you will get home before dark, whether should speed up.
- Getting out of class and deciding to go on a run.
- Remembering and navigating the new route that you are planning to take.
- Tying your shoes, stretching, and starting on your run.
- Response monitoring
- Attentional control
- Working Memory
- Preparatory Motor Set
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What is a situation in which you would use your orbitofrontal circuit?
Having a “gut feeling” that you should check in with a struggling family member.
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What three things is your orbitofrontal circuit responsible for?
- inhibitory responses specific to regulation of emotional/social cues/behavior
- Ability to empathize
- Attaching autonomic and somatic tags (gut feelings) that influence behavior
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
Where is the Anterior Cingulate Circuit located?
on the top, front end of the corpus callosum
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What are three words you could use to describe the functions of the anterior cingulate circuit?
Monitoring, initiation, motivation
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
What are four functions of the Anterior Cingulate Circuit?
- response monitoring
- Error detection
- conflict resolution
- initiation and motivation
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
List an example for each of the four functions of the Anterior Cingulate Circuit.
Response monitoring: while washing dishes, considering whether there might be a more efficient way to do this chore
Error detection: noticing that you missed a spot on the last glass you washed and rewashing it to correct the mistake
Conflict resolution: deciding whether you should hand dry the dishes or let them air dry
Initiation and motivation: realizing that you want to clean your house before your friends visit this weekend, and as result, you start catching up on washing dishes
Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024
Which area of the brain houses the three circuits responsible for many executive functioning behaviors?
Prefrontal cortex
The dorsolateral circuit is responsible for the —————— of behavior, the orbitofrontal circuit is associated with the —————- ———— —————- of behavior, and the anterior cingulate circuit is responsible for the ————-, ————–, and ———– of behavior.
- organization
- social/emotional regulation
- initiation, monitoring, motivation
Functional Neuroanatomy of Attention: Follows Certain Pattern
What three models aim to explain the functional neuroanatomy of attention?
- Mesulam’s
- Posner’s
- Mirksky’s
List elements & neural mechs of functional neuranatomy attention model
Mesulam’s Model
sensory representation - parietal regions
motivational importance - cingulate cortex
motor response - frontal cortex
List elements & neural mechs of functional neuranatomy attention model
Posner’s model
Orienting (disengage, move, re-engage) - Posterior attention system (posterior parietal; superior colliculus; thalamus)
Vigilance - Vigilance Attention System (right frontal and right parietal)
Executive - Anterior/Executive Attention System (anterior cingulate, lateral prefrontal cortex)
List elements & neural mechs of functional neuranatomy attention model
Mirksky’s model
Encode (brief maintentance) - hippocampus, amygdala
Sustain (vigilance) - Midbrain, brain stem, basal ganglia
Shift (move/change focus) - prefrontal cortex, anterior cinculate, basal ganglia
Focus and execute (allocate attentional resource, selective attention)
- focus: interior parietal, superior temporal
- execute: parietal, corpus striatum
Which parts of the brain are implicated in all three models for functional neuroanatomy of attention?
- parietal
- cingulate
- frontal
- prefrontal cortex
lose awareness of one side of spatial or personal space; attention is “pulled” to one side
- not caused by sensation or motor problems
- unconscious awareness?
neglect
Dysfunction in what area of the brain is associated with neglect
parietal lobe
- parieto-occipital
- inferior parietal
when we talk about executive function, what do we mean by “plan, adapt, regulate”
planning our next actions; adapting to different circumstances/reasoning/problem solving
regulating our reactions, not being impulsive
