Week 10 - Executive Function

FINAL EXAM!

executive function

collection of multiple cognitive processes working together to help you process info.

the 3 cognitive domains

working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control

working memory

the ability to hold information and modify information over a short period of time (like a “sketch pad”)

working memory allows you to

hold info your not actively observing and modifying it.

cognitive flexibility

ability to change perspective or plan

inhibitory control

the ability to control thoughts, feelings, attention, and behaviors to do one thing instead of another.

stroop test

saying the color not the word that is written.

cognitive domains work in tandem to help us

represent and process info, decide how to respond, and plan how to enact that response.

frontal lobe

the lobe of the brain that is the most forward

dividing line between the frontal and parietal lobes

central sulcus

the frontal lobe is essential for

executive function, motor planning, and motor control

where is the primary motor cortex (M1)

most caudal (rear) position of the frontal cortex

the primary motor cortex (M1) controls

direct motor movements

the primary motor cortex (M1) usually communicates with

PNS somatic motor system, premotor cortex

the primary motor cortex (M1) is organized in

a topographic map in columns

specific motor function,

specific column on the topographic map

premotor cortex is the

cortex in front of the M1

premotor cortex function

responsible for planning motor movements

the premotor cortex is the “middle man” between the

PFC, basal ganglia, and the motor cortex

the prefrontal cortex regulates

executive function (highest level of cognitive processing)

the prefrontal cortex is the most

rostral region of the cortex

humans have the largest

prefrontal cortex

the prefrontal cortex is highly

connected to many brain areas

the prefrontal cortex is difficult to study because

we can tell EF is happening, but can not identify how info is encoded and processed.

the prefrontal cortex is unique in its ability to

maintain neural representation to stimuli that is not being observed.

experiment recording the PFC activity of a

monkey when it has its eyes on food and when it does not

after the screen was lowered there was

higher activity of the PFC because the monkey saw that food and is trying to remember where the food was located (neural representation).

abstract =

divorced from original stimuli

the prefrontal cortex determines

who we are

the PFC first

calls upon sensory info and memories

the PFC second

processes that info to make a plan

the PFC third

communicates with premotor areas to enact that plan

primary sensory cortices (V1, A1, S1, etc.)

encode info from our environment (monomodal)

concrete representation example

retinotopic map

information in primary sensory cortices is sent to

higher level areas (multimodal) and go through parallel processing

V1 sends info to

ventral (what) and dorsal (where) streams

each stream processes

specific aspects of visual info

representations like the FFA are

less concrete and more abstract (face, object identity, form of motion)

higher level processing is sent to the

PFC and basal ganglia (most abstract)

PFC is unable to enact plans in

isolation and must send info to the basal ganglia and premotor cortex

the premotor flow is the

complex loop of communication between the PFC, basal ganglia, and premotor cortex

finalized plan will end up in the

premotor cortex

premotor cortex will communicate with the

primary motor cortex (M1)

M1 will communicate with

the somatic motor division of the PNS and then stimulates the muscles to enact those plans

the flow of perception to action is

very fast (200ms or 0.2 seconds)

damage to the PFC changes

personality, motivation/planning, creativity, attention, impulse control, and more.

Phineas Gage was a victim of a work accident where

a metal rod went straight through his head.

after the incident, Gage’s

personality changed and he became disorganized, impulsive, and vulgar.

the accident destroyed his entire

left frontal lobe and inhibited his EF (impulse control)

lobotomies were performed typically on

marginalized communities (women, LGBTQ+, psychiatric conditions)

lobotomies destroyed connections with the

PFC and the rest of the brain improving psychiatric procedures

the patients of lobotomies now had

no motivation, personality, attentional control, creativity, more cognitive ability.

stopped lobotomies because

prescription drugs were cheaper and more cost-effective