Introduction to Frontal Lobes and Executive Functions

These flashcards cover vocabulary and definitions related to the frontal lobes, executive functions, and associated cognitive assessments.

Frontal Lobes

Regions of the brain associated with executive functions, cognitive control, and decision making.

Executive Functions

Integrative cognitive functions that determine goal-directed and purposeful behavior and organize daily life functions.

Cognitive Control

The ability to direct one's thoughts and actions in accordance with goals.

DTI Image

Diffusion Tensor Imaging; an imaging technique that shows the connectivity of the brain's white matter.

Frontal Lobe Syndromes

Clinical syndromes that arise from damage to the frontal lobes, affecting personality, behavior, and executive functions.

Somatic Marker Hypothesis

The theory that emotional signals (somatic markers) guide decision-making by linking past outcomes to future choices.

Wisconsin Card Sort Test

A cognitive test that measures mental flexibility and executive functioning by requiring individuals to sort cards into categories.

Stroop Test

A psychological test that demonstrates the interference between cognitive processes, particularly in tasks involving inhibition.

Tower of London

A planning task used to assess executive functions where individuals must move discs across pegs to achieve a goal configuration.

Multiple Errands Task

An ecological assessment of executive functions requiring individuals to complete shopping and information-gathering tasks in a real-world setting.