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executive functions Flashcards

(55 cards)

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1
Q

aspects of core executive functions (3)

A
  1. inhibition - behavioral and cognitive
  2. working memory
  3. cognitive flexibility
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2
Q

what do executive functions depend on (4)

A
  1. sensory input
  2. remembered information
  3. goals
  4. predictions
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3
Q

what do executive functions make possible (5)

A
  1. mentally playing with ideas
  2. thinking before acting
  3. meeting new, unanticipated challenges
  4. resisting temptations
  5. staying focused
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4
Q

what can executive functions be impaired by (4)

A
  1. stress
  2. lack of sleep
  3. loneliness
  4. lack of exercise
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5
Q

how can executive functions be studied (5)

A
  1. structural neuroimaging
  2. functional neuroimaging (with neuropsychological tests)
  3. animal studies (electrodes in brain)
  4. computational neuroscience (algorithms)
  5. lesion studies/clinical syndromes (phineas gage)
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6
Q

what is the role of executive functions system

A

control system that adapts cognitive functions to current environment and state of organism

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7
Q

what are some ex of executive functions (4)

A
  1. stm
  2. reward evaluation
  3. conflict resolution
  4. response inhibition
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8
Q

brain areas involved in executive functions: lateral view (2)

A
  1. dorsolateral pfc
  2. ventrolateral pfc
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9
Q

brain areas involved in executive functions: medial view (5)

A
  1. ventromedial pfc
  2. ofc
  3. dorsal acc
  4. posterior cc
  5. dorsomedial pfc
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10
Q

brain area involved in executive functions not seen in lateral or medial view

A

insula

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11
Q

lateral pfc important for

A

integrating sensory input and motor output

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12
Q

ventromedial pfc and ofc important for (not role)

A

memory and emotion

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13
Q

roles of (a) dlPFC (b) ofc & vmPFC (c) acc (d) insula (e) vlPFC (f) pcc

A

(a) flexible behavior
(b) estimate reward value
(c) encodes negative consequences or signal of mismatch -> learn from consequences of our actions
(d) interoception
(e) behavioral inhibition
(f) self awareness and exploratory behavior

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14
Q

dlpfc connected to which other cortical areas and for what (3)

A
  1. ofc & acc -> reward related
  2. premotor cortex -> planning related
  3. parietal areas -> attention related
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15
Q

how does dlpfc control flexible behavior (3)

A
  1. regulates other circuits actively
  2. controls responses of other groups of neurons (more or less responsive to inputs and feedback)
  3. produces different responses in different contexts
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16
Q

ex of flexible behavior that dlpfc controls (4)

A
  1. switching attention
  2. working memory
  3. maintaining abstract rules
  4. inhibiting inappropriate responses
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17
Q

what does flexible behavior allow us to do

A

override habits and find new solutions in non-predictable circumstances

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18
Q

definition of wm and activity in dlpfc

A

ability do keep information in mind to guide behavior (immediately) -> firing rate of dlpfc increases while information is maintained in stm

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19
Q

effect of lesion in dlpfc (3)

A
  1. impairments in stm capacity and duration
  2. can learn rule, but no change in behavior (if rule is changed)
  3. no adaptation to changing circumstances -> stuck in behavioral routine
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20
Q

activity of dlpfc when rules change

A

systematic patterns of activity that accord with specific rules; changes in rules change firing rates of neurons (according to feedback)

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21
Q

how do ofc and vmpfc estimate value

A

maintain values of >2 options in stm to compare their values

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22
Q

effect of lesion in vmpfc

A

disruption of value comparisons bw objects

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23
Q

what is credit assignment and which brain area regulates it

Study These Flashcards
A

identifying stimulus responsible for reward/punishment -> vmpfc and ofc

24
Q

what brain area does vmpfc regulate

25
how does ofc/vmpfc evaluate options (3 steps)
1. identification of stimuli and properties -> sensory areas 2. retrieval of past experiences -> hippocampus, amygdala, medial temporal lobe 3. associations bw actions/objects and consequences (reward/punishment) -> reward-related DA neurons in midbrain
26
ofc evaluates options based on ... + ex
subjective value (same option, different reward in different circumstances); satiety changes value of peanuts for monkeys (fed with peanuts to satiety, value of peanuts goes down -> less ofc neurons firing for peanuts)
27
effect of lesion to ofc
value assignment -> disruption in associating negative value to outcome
28
why is the cognitive map in the ofc useful
links both external world and internal states with the possible outcome of choices
29
what is error related negativity
eeg signal that happens ~200ms after subject makes a mistake
30
acc receives input from which systems (4)
1. perception 2. emotion 3. attention 4. memory
31
output of acc
feedback signals to control systems that regulate connection bw sensory inputs and behavioral outputs (dlpfc)
32
what causes the pfc to change its rules
feedback from acc
33
goal of feedback signals from acc (2)
1. update behavioral goals 2. adopt new cognitive rules
34
responses of acc neurons are affected by (2)
1. consequences of actions (errors that reduce reward) 2. size of reward
35
what does the acc monitor (2)
1. value of outcomes (when used to guide future behaviors) 2. counterfactual or potential outcome
36
relationship bw acc and dlpfc
acc detects need to change behavior and dlpfc implements it
37
brain area that responds to conflict
acc
38
effect of lesion to acc
impairments in learning from the consequences
39
increased acc activity is observed in which mental health disorder and how does it manifest
ocd; overly sensitive to stimuli that other people ignore -> self-doubt, failures of self-control (compulsions)
40
what is a cingulotomy and what is it used for
ablation of acc; treatment in severe cases of ocd; reduces sensitivity to minor errors (still compulsions, but not the feeling)
41
where is the insula
buried within lateral sulcus, bw temporal and frontal lobes
42
insula receives inputs from (7)
1. acc 2. inferior temporal lobe 3. pfc 4. ofc 5. amygdala 6. hippocampus 7. visceral inputs from pns
43
what does the insula store
representation of bodily states (hunger, thirst, temperature, pain, itch, fatigue, heart rate)
44
insula affected in which disorders
disorders that impair decision making -> compulsive gambling or drug addiction
45
effect of lesion in insula (maybe)
disruption in sensing fear response associated with choosing disadvantageous situation
46
relationship bw music, dance and interoception
musicians and dancers have better interoception
47
vlpfc connects with (3)
1. sensory areas in inferotemporal cortex 2. auditory superior temporal gyrus 3. dlpfc
48
what do vlpfc outputs regulate and which brain region
dlpfc (flexible behavior)
49
effect of lesion to vlpfc
impulsivity (respond more rapidly, less accurately) and make poor decisions in various domains
50
relationship bw pcc and sensory stimuli
pcc neurons don't respond to sensory stimuli
51
activity in pcc during tasks
reduced activity during performance of most tasks
52
pcc is part of which network
default mode network (high activity when person not engaged in task)
53
when is pcc highly active
when distracted or daydreaming
54
ex of info that pcc regulates (3)
1. retrieval of info from autobiographical memory 2. thinking of oneself in future 3. considering others in relation to self
55
pcc is affected in which disease
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