Why does a person show defecits? [2] Flashcards
What is meant by modularity?
Notion that the brain consists of regions of functional specialisation which each region orchestrating a different functional process
Domain specificity?
Demonstrated by modular domains of the brain –> they only process one type of information
Central systems are NOT domain-dependant and rely on several domains (non-specific) –> eg attention, perception or memory.
What is meant by structural imaging?
Measures the spatial configuration of different tissue types in the brain
What is meant by functional imaging?
Measures temporary changes in brain physiology associated with cognitive processing
Most common method if fMRI
Cognitive subtraction - what is it and why is it used?
Comparisons of brain activity in a task, which utilises cognitive components to baseline activity in the brain which doesn’t utilise cognitive components.
Can infer about which regions are specialised for that particular component.
What is pure insertion?
The assumption during cognitive subtractions that adding a different component to a cognitive task DOESN’T CHANGE THE OPERATION OF THE OTHER COMPONENTS BEING USED IN THE TASK.
Subtractions should compare performance in a task with baseline tasks matched as closely as possible
what is cognitive conjunction?
Looking for regions of activation SHARED across different subtractions to reduce the problem of interaction (as adding extra components to the task may change the operations of other functions to complete the task – pure insertion)
What is functional integration?
The way in which different brain regions communicate. Can investigate this by modelling how activity in different regions is INTERDEPENDENT.
What is a single dissociation (classical and strong)?
When a patient with a lesion is impaired on task A but spared on task B.
Classical – completely normal performance on task B compared with control group.
Strong – performs poorly on A and B but significantly worse on A.
Resource artifacts?
Both tasks in the dissociation use the same cognitive process but one demands more use of the process than the other (one task is harder) –> tasks therefore not actually measuring a dissociation.
Task-demand artifacts?
One task performed worse than another due to task being performed sub-optimally (due to performance of individual rather than difficulty of task)
Double dissociation?
A double dissociation encompasses two single dissociations with complimentary profiles of abilities
What is Dysgraphia?
Difficulty in spelling and writing
What is meant by a syndrome?
A cluster of different symptoms regulated in a meaningful way
Why are group studies important? Main steps?
Group studies are critical to establish whether a given region is critical for performing a given cognitive function or task.
1) Establish on a case-by-case basis whether a patient is impaired on a given task
2) determine the location of lesion
3) Select group based on common lesion location (to a pre-defined area of the brain) and establish the functional deficits within the group. These tests are normally conducted based on the results from functional imaging research (clinical neuropsychology)
