Lecture 6

Question 1

Describe:

Frontal Lobe

Answer 1

• Everything anterior of central sulcus
• Largest lobe, about 1/3 of the cerebral cortex
• Matures and develops until the person is in late 20s

Question 2

Define:

Synaptic pruning

Answer 2

Getting rid of connections, establishing what connections it should keep up until early 20s

Question 3

Why is synaptic pruning done?

Answer 3

Keeps brain as effective as it can

Question 4

True or False:

When you’re in your 30’s, you lose about 1% of your neurons/year

Answer 4

True

Question 5

What is the decrease in neurons in the frontal lobe associated with?

Answer 5

Cognitive decline when people reach 60’s and 70’s

Question 6

List:

Key features of frontal lobe

Answer 6

Betz cells/giant motor neuron in Layer V
Primary motor cortex (M1)
Associative motor areas

Question 7

What are the key roles of the frontal lobe?

Answer 7

• Important for motor output to central spinal cord
• Plays a key role in executive function, a high level cognitive construct
• Seat of consciousness, seat of human awareness, seat of “self”
• Specialized for metacognition - thinking about thinking (aware that we can think, ability to recognize that we are thinking)

Question 8

What is a tell-tale sign of a frontal lobe stroke?

Answer 8

They may tell you they don’t feel like themselves (different personality etc.)

Question 9

Define:

Metacognition

Answer 9

Thinking about thinking (being aware that we can think and we are thinking)

Question 10

State:

Composition of frontal lobe executive function

Answer 10

Inhibitory control
Working memory
Cognitive flexibility

Question 11

True or False:

Inhibitory control develops last

Answer 11

False, inhibitory control develops at 2-3 years of age and has to be mastered before others

Question 12

What is inhibitory control?

Answer 12

Ability to inhibit a planned response, or suppress a planned response

Question 13

When does working memory emerge?

Answer 13

At 3-5 years of age

Question 14

Define:

Working memory

Answer 14

Ability to mentally organize and arrange, a fleeting memory system

Question 15

Define:

Cognitive flexibility

Answer 15

The ability to task switch

Question 16

What will frontal lobe lesions cause?

Answer 16

Cause executive dysfunction

Question 17

True or False:

Executive dysfunction is the most characteristic symptom of concussions

Answer 17

True

Question 18

What does DLPFC stand for? What is its purpose?

Answer 18

Dorsalateral Prefrontal Cortex
Where inhibitory control happen, has inhibitory neurons

Question 19

List:

The 2 early indications of Alzheimer’s Disease

Answer 19

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)
Cognitive Impairment Not Dementia

Question 20

What are early indications of Alzheimer’s Disease known as?

Answer 20

Prodromal Alzheimer’s Disease

Question 21

Describe:

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

Answer 21

Persons with an objective cognitive impairment and a self-reported subjective cognitive complaint

Question 22

Describe:

Cognitive Impairment Not Dementia

Answer 22

Persons with no objective cognitive impairment but reporting a subjective cognitive complaint

Question 23

True or False:

MCI is less severe than Cognitive Impairment No Dementia

Answer 23

False, MCI is more severe

Question 24

How are objective impairments evaluated in MCI?

Answer 24

Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA)

Question 25

# Describe: MMSE

Answer 25

Mini-Mental State Examination: Simple Questions * Greater than 18, less than 24 is indication of MCI | MCI: Mild Cognitive Impairment

Question 26

# Describe: MOCA

Answer 26

Montreal Cognitive Assessment: Draw line connecting circles, name animals etc. * More sophisticated task * 25 or less is indication of MCI | MCI: Mild Cognitive Impairment

Question 27

How much is normal cognitive decline

Answer 27

Very gradual (1% every year)

Question 28

How does cognitive decline gradually decline?

Answer 28

Progresses to CIND and MCI, eventually Alzheimer's disease and the loss of neurons is very rapid

Question 29

What do dark areas on an MRI mean?

Answer 29

Loss of neural tissue

Question 30

What is necessary to maintain proper brain health?

Answer 30

* Exercise * Sleep * Social Life

Question 31

What does exercise promote?

Answer 31

Neurogenesis (Neuron generation)

Question 32

What does exercise and neurogenesis support?

Answer 32

Supports executive function

Question 33

How is executive function measured?

Answer 33

Oculomotor task

Question 34

# Describe: Oculomotor task

Answer 34

* A dot is shown on the screen * A target is shown on the screen * Different tasks are performed (prosaccade and antisaccade)

Question 35

# Define: Prosaccade task Antisaccade task

Answer 35

* Prosaccade task: Eye moves directly to target * Antisaccade task: Eye move opposite direction to the target

Question 36

# True or False: Prosaccade task is an executive function

Answer 36

False, prosaccade tasks are not executive function

Question 37

# True or False: Inhibition of an antisaccade task is an executively demanding task

Answer 37

False, inhibiting a PROSACCADE task is executively demanding task

Question 38

# True or False: Prosaccade reaction times are always less than antisaccade reaction | If true, list the reaction time and reason why this is

Answer 38

True, around 0.75 seconds for prosaccade as inhibitory control is time consuming

Question 39

# Lab Question: In a group doing aerobic and resistance exercise for 6 months, both groups showed decrease in antisaccade reaction time. How is this shown? What does this prove?

Answer 39

* Oculomotor motor assessment: Decrease in antisaccade time * MOCA and MMSE: Increased performance * Conclusion: Exercise can improve mental function in people with MCI | MCI: Mild Cognitive Impairment