VC: Neuroanatomy

Question 1

Why is EEG useful in investigating the anterior cingulate cortex?

Answer 1

It is a cheap way to uncover the neural correlates if error and conflict detection.

Question 2

What is error-related negativity?

Answer 2

A response-synchronised ERP related to error processing.

Question 3

When does ERN occur?

Answer 3

About 100ms after response onset (mistake).

Question 4

Where does the negative peak occur in ERN?

Answer 4

Fronto-central electrode sires.

Question 5

What does the effect of the speed-accuracy trade off on ERN show?

Answer 5

That ERN amplitude is modulated by the degree to which accuracy is important to the subject.

Question 6

How does ERN amplitude relate to response force on Flanker task trials?

Answer 6

There is reduced force when ERN is activated.

Question 7

How does ERN amplitude relate to error correction on Flanker task trials?

Answer 7

Participants are more likely to immediately press the correct key after pressing the wrong one when ERN activated, in an attempt to correct their response.

Question 8

How does ERN amplitude relate to post-error slowing on Flanker task trials?

Answer 8

PES increases with ERN.

Question 9

How is degree of conflict qualitatively defined in conflict monitoring theory?

Answer 9

The simultaneous activation of incompatible representations, connected by inhibitory links.

Question 10

Give 3 key factors about conflict, according to CMT.

Answer 10

It increases with absolute activation of competing representations, is maximal when competing activations are equal and increases with number of competing representations.

Question 11

What Flanker task results suggest there are 2 anatomically and functionally different systems for error detection and conflict monitoring?

Answer 11

ERN spiked for error vs correct trials, but stayed the same for compatible and incompatible trials, and fMRI showed 2 different areas of activation.

Question 12

In conclusions from the Flanker study, what brain area seems responsible for error detection?

Answer 12

ACC.

Question 13

In conclusions from the Flanker study, what brain area seems responsible for conflict monitoring?

Answer 13

Pre-SMA.

Question 14

Give 3 pieces of evidence suggesting that error and conflict processing may use the same brain area.

Answer 14

Participant difference are huge across the two tasks and almost the whole frontal brain is activated across participants, stroop tasks show activation for both in similar areas, and schizophrenic people show deficits for both in similar areas.

Question 15

Give 3 deficits schizophrenic people show in error and conflict processing.

Answer 15

Reduced ACC activity, no post-conflict adjustments and no post-error adjustments.

Question 16

Briefly describe the feedback loop that may help explain how control is adjusted.

Answer 16

The ACC detects averse or negatively reinforcing events, and the LPFC makes control adjustments (biasing behaviour away from tasks and strategies with high control demand).

Question 17

How do the results of a stroop task show that the size of an error signal predicts control adjustments?

Answer 17

ACC activity on an incongruent trial predicts adjustment on the next trial, ACC activity on a trial predicts PFC activity on the next trial and ACC activity increases LPFC inhibition of irrelevant stimuli.

Question 18

In a modified stroop task, what results regarding the DLPFC suggest there are separate instruction and response mechanisms?

Answer 18

The left LDPFC was selectively activated during during the preparatory period (more for colour naming).

Question 19

In a modified stroop task, what results regarding the ACC suggest there are separate instruction and response mechanisms?

Answer 19

Selectively activated during the response period (more for incongruent than congruent colour naming trials).

Question 20

What does the evidence from a reward-based decision making task suggest about the pMFC?

Answer 20

It’s increased activity in response to a decrease or absence of an expected reward shows that it is reacting to rewards.

Question 21

What idea and evidence may join the 2 key theories about error and conflicts together?

Answer 21

People try to avoid cognitively demanding tasks, shown in the card experiment with many or few task repetitions, where people often chose the low demand set.