Frontal Lobe Neuropsychology Review

This set of flashcards covers terminology and concepts related to the functions and impairments of the frontal lobe as discussed in neuropsychology.

Frontal Lobe

A large area of the brain located at the anterior part of the cerebral cortex that is involved in executive functions, motor skills, and behavioral regulation.

Primary Motor Cortex (M1)

Located in the pre-central gyrus, it initiates and controls voluntary movements.

Premotor Cortex

Also known as the supplementary motor area, it is responsible for planning and selecting coordinated sequences of movements.

Prefrontal Cortex

Region that controls cognitive processes, selects appropriate actions, and integrates information from internal and external sources.

Mirror Neurons

Neurons that respond both when an individual performs an action and when they observe someone else performing that action.

Cognitive Control

The ability to direct mental function and behavior according to goals, enabling flexible switching between actions based on internal goals.

Executive Functions

Cognitive processes including attentional control, planning, reasoning, working memory, problem solving, and self-monitoring.

Perseveration

Involuntary repetition of a particular response or action, commonly seen in patients with frontal lobe damage.

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (dlPFC)

Part of the prefrontal cortex involved in cognitive control and working memory.

Orbitofrontal Cortex (OFC)

Part of the frontal lobe important for decision-making, social cues, and influencing autonomic responses.

Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)

Involved in decision-making and the subjective valuation of stimuli in social and emotional contexts.

Frontal Lobe Lesions

Damage to the frontal lobe can lead to impairments in executive functions, risk-taking behavior, and emotional regulation.

Wisconsin Card Sorting Test

A test for assessing executive function by having participants sort cards by changing rules based on feedback.

Schemas

Knowledge structures that help us perceive, organize, and utilize information to form expectations.

Convergent Thinking

Thinking that focuses on finding one correct answer to a problem.

Divergent Thinking

Thinking that explores multiple possible solutions to a problem, often requiring creative thought.

Pseudodepression

Symptoms that resemble clinical depression but arise from frontal lobe damage rather than mood disorders.