Cognitive Control and Executive Function
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Questions and Answers

What is the primary problem faced by W.R. due to his astrocytoma?

  • Loss of ability to control his life and make rational life plans (correct)
  • Abnormal speech skills
  • Impaired short-term and long-term memory
  • Loss of perception and motor skills

    • What is the primary function of the prefrontal cortex (PFC)?

  • Goal-oriented behaviour and making rational life plans (correct)
  • Processing of sensory information
  • Control of motor skills
  • Regulation of emotional responses

    • What is the defining characteristic of perseveration?

  • The inability to make decisions
  • The inability to control impulsive behaviour
  • The persistence in a response despite it being incorrect (correct)
  • The lack of emotional response to stimuli

    • What is the effect of unilateral lesions of the PFC?

    <p>Mild cognitive control deficits</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the extreme inflexibility and dependence on prototypes?

    <p>Utilization behaviour</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which neurological disorders do cognitive control deficits commonly occur?

    <p>ADHD, OCD, and psychopathy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    At what age is the prefrontal cortex fully developed?

    <p>25 years old</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the connection between the networks that the PFC is responsible for?

    <p>Perceptual, motor, limbic, and association areas</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary difference between an action-reward link and a habitual action?

    <p>The presence of a reward</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of working memory in maintaining a behavior?

    <p>To selectively attend to relevant stimuli</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of cells in the LPFC are involved in firing for specific objects?

    <p>What cells</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of working memory in achieving goals?

    <p>To assist in the activation and maintenance of the goal</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary difference between normative and descriptive decisions?

    <p>What people should do versus what people actually do</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an example of a normative decision-making scenario?

    <p>Choosing the optimal investment strategy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of cognitive control in waiting to start eating dinner?

    <p>To respond to stimuli while ignoring others</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of working memory in decision making?

    <p>To assist in the activation and maintenance of goals</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Case W.R. and Cognitive Control Deficits

    • W.R. suffers from astrocytoma with a lesion in the left lateral PFC, resulting in the loss of ability to control his life and make rational life plans.
    • Despite having normal perception, motor, speech skills, IQ, and short- and long-term memories, W.R. exhibits abnormal behavior, including perseveration.

    Cognitive Control (Executive Function)

    • A set of psychological processes that help us use perception, knowledge, and goals to choose an action or thought.
    • Goal-oriented: Most of our behaviors are led by a goal, which must be flexible and adaptable to changes.
    • Structures involved in cognitive control include:
      • PFC (Prefrontal Cortex)
      • Lateral PFC (for planning and initiating a behavior)
      • Medial Frontal Cortex (guides behaviors and maintains them)

    Prefrontal Cortex (PFC)

    • What makes us unique as a species.
    • The latest brain structure to fully develop (around 25 years old).
    • Connects perceptual, motor, limbic, and association areas.

    Cognitive Control Deficits

    • Can result in abnormal behavior, such as perseveration, apathy, distractibility, impulsiveness, and difficulty making decisions, planning actions, and understanding consequences.
    • Unilateral lesions of PFC tend to produce relatively mild deficits, while bilateral lesions result in more dramatic changes.
    • Pathologically, cognitive control deficits can be seen in ADHD, OCD, psychopathy, and addiction.

    Goal-Oriented Behavior

    • We have two types of actions:
      • Goal-oriented actions (based on a link between an action and a reward)
      • Habitual actions (no rewards involved; simply a habit)

    Cognitive Control and Working Memory

    • Working Memory (WM) is important for maintaining a behavior.
    • WM makes use of:
      • Maintenance of behavior
      • Selective attention
      • Perceptual analysis
      • Response inhibition

    Physiological Correlate of Working Memory

    • LPFC (Lateral Prefrontal Cortex) is involved in WM.
    • LPFC contains:
      • What cells (fire for specific objects)
      • Where cells (fire in specific places)
      • What-Where cells (respond to combos of objects + places)

    Decision Making

    • Decisions must be taken based on the optimal choice among all available circumstances and options.
    • Two theories in decision making:
      • Normative decisions (when people make decisions that lead to the optimal choice)
      • Descriptive decisions (what people actually do; not what people should have done)

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    Description

    This quiz explores cognitive control and executive function, including the effects of lesions on cognitive abilities and goal-oriented behavior. Case study of W.R. is used to illustrate the impact on daily life.

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