Chapter 2 - Cognitive Neurosciene

Question 1

Cognitive Neuroscience

Answer 1

study of the neural mechanisms of cognition and behavior

focuses on role of brain mechanisms

Question 2

Dualism

Answer 2

postualted by Descartes

existence of separate non-physical mind

mind and brain are two separate things

Question 3

Materialism

Answer 3

mind is entirely a product of the brain

every action and mental event has a neural basis

Question 4

Organization of Brain - Left and Right Hemispheres

Answer 4

left hemisphere: language functions

right hemisphere: visuospatial tasks

Question 5

Organization of Brain - Corpus Callosum

Answer 5

massive bundle of axons connecting the
two hemispheres

allows for interhemispheric communication

Question 6

Organization of Brain - Cerebral Cortex

Answer 6

thin, folded layer of neurons in the outer layer of the hemispheres

Question 7

Organization of Brain - Cerebellum

Answer 7

thought to only play a role in motor control and coordination

more recently implicated in other cognitive functions

Question 8

Lobes of the Hemispheres

Answer 8

1. occipital lobe - visual perception
2. temporal lobe - complex perception, memory, language
3. frontal lobe - thinking, planning, decision making
4. parietal lobe - visuospatial functions

Question 9

Functional Specialization

Answer 9

different brain areas serve different perceptual and cognitive skills

specialized areas work together to in a network, many tasks require a network of interconnected areas

Question 10

Nervous System

Answer 10

neurons: cells specialized to
create, receive, and transmit
information in the nervous system

parts of a neuron:
- dendrites
- cell body
- axon
- axon terminal

Question 11

How Neurons Communicate

Answer 11

neurons have membrane potential and have ions (charged particles) inside and outside of neuron

neuron receives signals from other neurons

signals can either be excitatory (positive, more likely to send action signal) or inhibitory (negative, less likely to send action signal)

if neuron receives excitatory input:
- sends signal (action potential)
- propagates down axon
- reaches axon terminal
- sends signal to next neuron in the chain

Question 12

Synapse

Answer 12

space between axon terminal buttons of one neuron and
dendrite or cell body of another

when the action potential reaches the end of the axon, synaptic vesicles release chemical neurotransmitters

synapses can change with learning and experience and their strength affects connection between neurons

Question 13

Imaging: Correlation vs Causation Problem

Answer 13

imaging simply reveals a correlation between processing/stimulus and brain activity, cannot make reverse inference

brain activity in a region does not mean the region is necessary for the
cognitive task or perception

Question 14

Imaging vs Stimulation

Answer 14

brain stimulation methods stimulate or disrupt activity to study causation of perceptual or cognitive function

because experimenter is controlling brain activity, puts them in a stronger
logical position to infer causation

Question 15

Stimulation/Inhibition: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Answer 15

brief magnetic pulses are emitted by a coil next to the skull
produces a magnetic field that can affect brain activity in the underlying cortex

can create a temporary functional “lesion,” can also create increase neural activity

because experimenter has control, it reveals a causative, rather than a correlational brain–behavior link

Question 16

Pitcher et. al (2009)

Answer 16

subjects had to make same-different decisions for two stimuli shown one at a time

TMS applied to one of three visual processing areas

disruption of performance specific to stimulus
faces: right occipital face area
objects: right lateral occipital area
body parts: right extrastriata body area

suggests different brain areas are involved in identification of different types of stimuli

Question 17

Stimulation/Inhibition: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Answer 17

similar purpose to TMS

delivers small electrical currents to the scalp

current can increase or decrease neural activity in underlying area

weaker effect than TMS
findings suggest if an area is preactive or primed, more neurons will fire in that area

Question 18

Fregni et al. (2005)

Answer 18

effect of tDCS on working memory

applied tDCS to part of frontal lobe involved in working memory

used a 3-back task to measure working memory
see a series of letters
press a key if the current letter is the same as 3 letters before

Question 19

Neuropsychology

Answer 19

studies behavioral impact of brain damage

damage can be done naturally by strokes or illness, or unnaturally by trauma or surgery

areas controlling a brain function can be determined by mapping out
overlapping areas of damage in patients with the same deficit

allows for identification of what functions are served by specific areas of the brain

Question 20

Neuropsychology: Double Dissociation

Answer 20

when damage to one part of the brain causes one function to be absent
while another function if unaltered, and damage to another area causes
the reverse pattern