Week 7 cog neuro 4 children Reading, Temple (1997)

Question 1

Are there similarities between developmental disorders of children and deficits seen in adults following brain lesions?

Answer 1

Yes!

Question 2

Are developmental disorders likely to to be broad, general deficits in functioning or specific, focal deficits affecting subcomponents of cognitive systems

Answer 2

Focal and selective disorders likely to affect subcomponents of cognitive subsystems

Question 3

What is the approach of classic neuropsychology?

Answer 3

To discover the localisation of functions within brain structure, and what symptoms are characteristics of clinical disorders.

Question 4

What is the approach/goals of cognitive neuropsychology?

Answer 4

Using impaired patients and their respective deficits and abilities to learn about normal cognition

Question 5

What are some evidence from patient GR that challenged the prevalent notion that phonological decoding of written words preceded access to a words meaning

Answer 5

GF had no phonological reading skills, couldn’t read any non-words. However he could read some concrete words, and the one’s he made errors on, had semantic relevance, showing some semantic information got through.

Question 6

What is some evidence from patient KF regarding the processes of short and long term memory

Answer 6

KF had severely impaired short term memory and fine long term memory, challenging the notion that STM is a temporary store where material must be held in order to be transferred to long term memory.

Question 7

What is the approach/goals of cognitive neuropsychology in children

Answer 7

Construction of models based on lesions to developing systems, and aims to expand models of normal functioning. Aims to identify selective deficits of a common modular architecture of a development system. Often the most informative child si the one with the most specific deficit - thus showing a dissociation of deficits

Question 8

What is information encapsulating as posited by Fodor?

Answer 8

The theory that modules are independent, and carry out processing independent of each other -makes evolutionary sense, in that improvements to individuals parts can be made without needing to rejig the whole brain. Later interpretations hold that there is some degree of communication between modules, and those who view a wider distribution system still have a place for a weakened version of modularity.

Question 9

Discus Fodor’s domain specificity

Answer 9

Modules are domain specific, and can accept only one type of input, excluding higher-order processes. Conflicting views (E.g. Shallice) hold that aspects of modularity can be applied to higher order functions, and that EF systems may fractionate.

Question 10

Discuss the evolutionary advantage of modularity in the acquisition of cognitive skills

Answer 10

semi-independent modules in adulthood would be of a reduced advantage if they were preceded by a stage of interdependence and reliance - in which abnormality or damage to one component of the system would lead to widespread dysfunction

Question 11

Discus the innate nature of modules according to Fodor

Answer 11

Cognitive systems are preformed, not to say that the structure is formed before birth, but the ultimate structure is constrained by a preset architecture - limits variation within the developing system.

Question 12

Detail some opposing views on how development of cognitive architecture is thought to operate

Answer 12

Some say pathways to a final common architecture may proceed in parallel pathways unique to the individual - order of acquisition may vary. Other, older views say acquisition is common and sequential, and variation is only in development or delay in stages of progress. Cog neuro framework states that individual differences may be due to different routes within a system, and greater or lesser development of components of the system.

Question 13

What are some advantages of a case study approach?

Answer 13

Averaging across subjects may mask the most salient aspects of performance, allows for specific and detailed investigation to uncover dissociations, provides framework to measure changes over time.

Question 14

If the assumption of a common final architecture is incorrect, what problem does this bring for cog neuro?

Answer 14

Too many degrees of freedom, untestable theory and models, any theory could be refuted on the basis of uncommon architecture.

Question 15

Explain how downstream effects may present problems for the assumptions of cog neuro

Answer 15

‘Knock on’ effects - without the requisite input, some systems may not develop properly, give the impression of double dissociations, parts of systems may be intact but functionally inaccessible

Question 16

Explain how plasticity effects may present problems for the assumptions of cog neuro

Answer 16

If the brain reorganises and generates new modules, then abnormal performance would not equal a functioning system minus the disrupted components, as presumed by cog neuro

Question 17

What are some evidence for a lack of neural plasticity?

Answer 17

Subtle, yet persistent language deficits evident in children with left hemisphere damaged sustained in the first 5 yrs of life, similarly, spatial deficits in right hemisphere damage

Question 18

Describe prosopagnosia

Answer 18

Inability to recognise despite intact sensory abilities, memory and intelligence. Can still recognise persons via voice recognition, dress and movement

Question 19

Describe Bruce and Young’s (1986) facial recognition unit

Answer 19

Structural encoding generates a description of the face that is being viewed. All facial recognition units that are similar to the one being viewed activate whilst only the one that matches with the one being viewed fully ‘fires’, which leads to activation of the person identity node, which contains identifying information regarding the persons personality, where they live e.t.c. This is enough to recognise the person, but may not be enough to name them. Naming requires the activation of the name retrieval system. Other systems that run parallel that extract additional information include expression analysis, facial speech analysis, direct visual processing

Question 20

What are two different theories for the development of facial recognition within a cog neuro perspective?

Answer 20

Development of facial recognition skills may result from the maturation of innate modules pre specified at birth, or the further development of face processing systems that become increasingly modular as a consequence of development, but are not preformed at birth. Through the latter, prosopagnosia would occur if there was a problem in the development of face processing modules.

Question 21

What is some evidence against a traditional Fodorian view of modularity with respect to facial recognition?

Answer 21

Studies that have shown that priming effects facial recognition - names primed facial discrimination. Flies in the face of information encapsulation i.e. Fodor would say it uses specialised architecture, without any input from higher cognitive systems. However, within a contemporary view of modularity, the network of face representations would be considered a module. Additionally, the specialised processes used for faces are also used by experts for other stimuli, such as birds by bird watchers, thus violating Fodor’s theory of domain specificity. Improvements in encoding facial recognition processes come from older children encoding more information and utilising better strategies in encoding, due to improvements in facial encoding and/or improved EF processes on memory and more strategic encoding

Question 22

Talk about the neuro psych appraisal of KD

Answer 22

KD had acquired prosopagnosia, with additional difficulties in general visual processes. Reading skills acquired. Knew a face was a face, effortful matching of photographs of faces. Impaired recognition of objects presented where the principle axis was foreshortened - indicates an excessive reliance on features. and deficits in 3d structural encoding. Associated object recog and visual defects indicates lack of specificity in face recog module. (although matched for visual deficits, other patients had no face recog problems)

Question 23

Talk about the conclusion drawn form dev prosopagnosia cases AB and Dr S.

Answer 23

AB - difficulty in structural encoding of faces, impaired on facial recognition, perfect on word recognition. Dr S deficits in accessing person identity information from faces - however info can be accessed from names.

Question 24

Describe auditory agnosia

Answer 24

Inability to take meaning from heard words, despite intact auditory processing. Disconnection of auditory input from semantic system. “Listening to a foreign language.”

Question 25

Describe semantic agnosia

Answer 25

Store of word meaning, can be due to failure of development of semantic system (receptive language impairment, word finding difficulties) or difficulties in access or retrieval of semantic system (expressive language problems)