CH 3 - Basic Concepts in Cognitive Science

Question 1

What is phrenology?

Answer 1

phren (mind) and logos (knowledge) was a predecessor of cognitive science. It tried to describe the mind based on the anatomical structure of the brain

Question 2

Are the assumptions of Phrenology right?

Answer 2

Not all. It is not a science.

Question 3

Which hypothesis of Phrenology are true?

Answer 3

• brain as the center of thought
• modular or organization of the brain into anatomical regions
• functional specialization of individual brain regions

Question 4

What can’t you derive from Histological Brain Sections?

Answer 4

It is a static representation of the brain. You don’t know how a specific cell contributes to the functioning of the brain.

Question 5

MRI

Answer 5

magnetic resonance imaging for imaging the anatomical structure of tissue in vivo.
- active sensing based on magnetic properties of hydrogen atoms

Question 6

DTI

Answer 6

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)

- extension of MRI that measures the diffusion movement of water molecules and can detect nerve fibers

Question 7

What are MRI and DTI based on?

Answer 7

nuclear magnetic resonance

Question 8

Two types of Structural Neuroimaging

Answer 8

1. MRI

2. DTI

Question 9

Types of Functional Neuroimaging

Answer 9

1. EEG & MEG
2. PET & SPECT
3. fMRI

Question 10

EEG & MEG

Answer 10

Electroencephalography (EEG) and Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

• non-invasive monitoring of brain activity and high temporal resolution. EEG measures are based on electric potentials resulting from neural activity via electrodes on the skull.
• MEG detects the corresponding magnetic field

Question 11

PET & SPECT

Answer 11

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single-Photon Emission Computer Tomography (SPECT)
- nuclear imaging techniques that require medication with radiotracers. Brain activity is monitored implicitly by observing the regional cerebral blood flow.

Question 12

fMRI

Answer 12

Functional MRI
- extension of MRI that visualizes changes of the blood oxygen level caused by brain activity elicited through external stimuli or cognitive processing at high spatial resolution.

Question 13

What is haptic fMRI?

Answer 13

Augments fMRI with haptic input device:

• test person in the MRI scanner looks at virtual object that are projected on a screen
• the haptic input device enables interaction with the virtual objects
• brain activity s monitored via fMRI

Question 14

Can brain regions change their functionality?

Answer 14

Yes for example when there is an accident

Question 15

Prefrontal cortex

Answer 15

social behavior

Question 16

Broca’s area

Answer 16

production of speech

Question 17

Movement of arms legs etc

Answer 17

Primary motor cortex

Question 18

sensory information is processed in

Answer 18

postcentral gyrus

Question 19

Wernicke’s area

Answer 19

understand speech

Question 20

Draw sketch on slide 14

Answer 20

draw

Question 21

Which fields of research does cognitive science build up on?

Answer 21

Engineering (AI, ML, CS, Robotics)
Natural Sciences (Neuroscience,etc.)
Humanities (Cognitive Psychology, Philosophy)

Question 22

Cognitive systems and functions can be modeled at different degrees of biological realism

Answer 22

• Computational Models
• Bio-inspired models
• Hybrid Models

Question 23

What are computational models about?

Answer 23

• implement a cognitive functions solely based on a functional view of the system without any reference to biology (e.g. how an apple is picked –> we don’t care what happens in the brain)

Question 24

Bio-inspired models

Answer 24

• implement cognitive functions by replicating known or hypothesized mechanisms of cognitive processing from biological organisms

Question 25

Hybrid models

Answer 25

combine computational and bio-inspired modeling