Cognitive Control and Phineas Gage

A mental process that allows us to manage our thoughts and actions to achieve goals, particularly when faced with distractions or competing impulses.

The ability to stop or suppress actions, thoughts, or impulses that are no longer relevant or appropriate.

A continuous cycle where information flows back and forth, allowing for adjustments and improvements in behavior.

A brain region that plays a crucial role in identifying conflicts between competing responses.

A brain region responsible for planning, working memory, and complex cognitive tasks.

The conscious awareness of the world around us, allowing us to select and focus on relevant information.

A brain region responsible for automatic motor responses.

The brain region responsible for processing visual information.

This disorder, caused by damage to the frontal lobe, demonstrates the importance of cognitive control. It involves difficulties planning, inhibiting impulsive behavior, and regulating emotions.

A test measuring cognitive control by asking participants to name the color of ink used to write a word, despite the word itself being a different color. This creates conflict between the automatic response (reading the word) and the required response (naming the color).

In the Stroop Task, participants are presented with words written in different colors. The color of the word matches the ink color. This condition requires minimal cognitive control.

In the Stroop Task, the color of the ink does not match the word written. This requires more cognitive control as you need to suppress the automatic response of reading the word.

In the Stroop Task, participants are shown a neutral word (unrelated to color) written in a specific color. This ensures baseline speed for color recognition.

The part of the brain responsible for higher cognitive functions like planning, decision-making, and inhibiting impulsive behaviors.

The mental representation of the current task and its goals, guiding behavior and directing attention.

The ability to control and direct attention to relevant stimuli while suppressing distractions, crucial for efficient task performance.

Inhibition of inappropriate responses, especially when task demands change or conflict arises.

The ability to adapt to changing task demands and adjust behavior accordingly.

A famous case involving a railroad worker who suffered a severe brain injury, resulting in significant changes in personality and behavior, particularly in planning and impulse control.

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is a brain region involved in top-down control, influencing how we focus and respond to stimuli. This region becomes more active when we need to overcome natural responses and follow specific instructions.

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is a brain region involved in conflict monitoring. It becomes more active during tasks where there are multiple conflicting stimuli, requiring greater effort to resolve.

The dlPFC is involved in maintaining attention demands and using information from working memory. It allows us to hold goals in mind and use them to guide our responses to situations.

The dlPFC activity increases during tasks requiring effortful control, for instance, when focusing on colors rather than reading words in the Stroop Task. This heightened activity indicates the brain's efforts to suppress automatic responses.

Stroop Interference refers to the effect of increased reaction time and difficulty when conflicting stimuli are presented, such as reading color words written in different colors. The dlPFC activity increases to manage this interference, while the ACC reflects the effort needed to resolve the conflict.

The dlPFC is involved in strategic response to situations, as shown in primate research. This area's activity reflects an organism's flexible and adaptable approach to navigating complex environments.

Lesions affecting the dlPFC can result in difficulties maintaining attention demands even with instructions and trouble utilizing working memory. This suggests the crucial role of the dlPFC in controlling cognitive processes.

The ACC and dlPFC work together to maintain attention and resolve cognitive conflicts. The dlPFC is responsible for top-down control, influencing how we focus, while the ACC monitors for conflicts and signals for more effort when needed.