Sense of 'I'

Question 1

Cognition

Answer 1

Inhibition, social norms, long-term goals, working memory.

There is not an ‘I’ that decides to go for routine or cognition, nor is either one in control

Question 2

Tectum (frog)

Answer 2

Precursor of Superior colliculus, we make the eye movements with this (vectors). Produce ‘catch the worm’ machinery in the frog

There is a fixed relation between a stimulus in visual field and produced behaviour

Question 3

Pretectum

Answer 3

Electrical stimulation elicits avoidance behaviour,

The frog selects between the two structures with a winner takes it all mechanism.
- Tuned to different sizes (insects = small RF, Tectum)
(stones = large RF, pretectum)

Based on mutual inhibition, if the one is activated a bit more the other is inhibited, until one gets to the threshold and the behaviour is executed.

Question 4

Stopping

Answer 4

Getting a stopsignal and inhibiting this requires the IFG (active in both the failed and succesful trials

Motor activity is high in failed, low in succesful stop trials (inhibition)

This means stopping succesfully depends more on anticipatory activity of the motor cortex than the strength of the IFG. The ‘control’ center (IFG) doesn’t decide

However, the STN (part of basal ganglia connected to IFG) shows similar activity to IFG.

Question 5

DLPFC value battle

Answer 5

The battle for value signals from VMPFC,

In experiment with self-control vs non self-control groups, they assessed the decision between healthy and unhealthy food that they later really had to eat.

Those who showed self-control showed more DLPFC activity

The higher value (VMPFC) activity for unhealthy was overwritten by the DLPFC

Question 6

Battle on fear

Answer 6

Experiment w the snake, bring it as close as possible.

You see a battle between areas where the line goes up and down (vs the yellow line w the stuffed bear)

You see the choices people make, where fear wins from bravery and vice versa. This was seen in brain activity as well, stronger activity in one, weaker in the other

Question 7

Conclusions on choices

Answer 7

Result of a battle between subcortical (basic) and cortical (higher level) approach and avoidance systems. Determined by a combination of low and high level versions of
- greed
- fear
- heard
behaviour

Not 1 system in control, but a combination of all these drives