PSYC 492 UNIT 3 - Executive Functioning/Attention

Question 1

selecting which senses to focus on and which to inhibit

Answer 1

sensory selective attention

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 2

Name the three brain structures most closely associated with attention.

Answer 2

parietal lobes, frontal lobes, cingulate regions

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 3

Four primary elements of attention:

Answer 3

• sensory slelective attention
• executive attention
• attentional focus
• sustained attention

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 4

What are the four elements of sensory selective attention? Desribe which brain structures are responsible for each element and whether it is effortful/controlled or automatic.

Answer 4

The following aspects of sensory selective attention are automatic and controlled by the parietal and temporal lobes:
- filtering and integration
- orienting and shift of attention
- engagement and disengagement

The following aspect of sensory selective attention is controlled/effortful and controlledf by the frontal lobe, basal ganglia, and limbic nuclei:
- directed attention, active search and shift

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 5

What are the four elements of executive attention?

Answer 5

• beyond just sensory attention; selective attention with a goal in mind and involves prioritization and regulating responses
• Response intention: “choose”/decide on staying focused or getting distracted
• Response selection: weigh and select optimal response
• Control: initiate, factors control strength/continuation of response, active switching

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 6

What is response intention?

Answer 6

an aspect of executive attention that involves “choosing”/deciding on staying focused or getting distracted

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 7

What is response selection?

Answer 7

an aspect of executive attention that involves weighing and selecting the optimal response

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 8

What is control?

Answer 8

an aspect of executive attention that involves initiation of action, along with factors that control strength/continuation of response, and active switching

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 9

Describe attentional focus.

Answer 9

Attentional focus involves the strength of attentional engagement; cognitive/mental resources directed toward object

• Depends on context (valence of stimulus)

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 10

What is attentional focus constrained by?

Answer 10

structural capacity (intrinsic) and energetic capacity (transient)

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 11

Describe sustained attention.

Answer 11

Sustained attention is the maintenance of engagement for long periods of time.

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 12

What are some types of sustained attention?

Answer 12

• Vigilance (waiting for a rare event)
• Persistent responding (detecting targets at a high rate)

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Question 13

What is neglect?

Answer 13

losing awareness of one side of spatial or personal space; attention is “pulled” to one side

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Question 14

Neglect is not caused by ——— or ———– problems.

Answer 14

sensation; motor

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 15

Which areas of the brain are typically associated with neglect?

Answer 15

In general, neglect is the result of parietal lobe dysfunction and is, specifically, associated iwth parieto-occipital or inferior parietal damage

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Question 16

True or False:

Facets of sensory attention can be automatic or controlled/effortful.

Answer 16

True

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 17

True or False:

Attentional focus, or the amount of mental resources we devote toward something may be influenced by both intrinsic and transient factors.

Answer 17

True

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 18

What are the primary structures associated with attention:
- parietal, frontal, cingulate regions
- temporal, frontal, occipital regions
- parietal, basal ganglia, cingulate regions
- basal ganglia, limbic, cerebellar regions

Answer 18

parietal, frontal, cingulate regions

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 19

True or False

Neglect is due to a deficit in the visual sensory system.

Answer 19

False

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Question 20

Define executive function.

Answer 20

Processes used to guide behavior toward a goal, especially in non-routine situations; plan, adapt, regulate

A catch-all term for lots of processes

Engages in supervising and directing various processes to help engage in goal-directed behavior.

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 21

Executive functioning abilities are ever—————-

Answer 21

shifting

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Question 22

The dorsolateral circuit handles ———– cognitive function and the ———- organization of behavior.

Answer 22

“higher order”; temporal

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Question 23

The ———————- neural circuit manages attentional control, working memory, preparatory motor set (movement preparation), and response monitoring (maintenance and modification of behaviors.)

Answer 23

dorsolateral circuit

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 24

The orbitofrontal circuit is responsible for which behaviors:

Answer 24

• inhibitory responses specific to regulation of emotional/social cues/behavior
• ability to empathize
• attach autonomic/somatic tags “gut feelings” that influence behavior

Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 25

What behaviors is the anterior cingulate circuit responsible for?

Answer 25

- response monitoring - error detection - conflict resolution (not referring to interpersonal interaction; only referring to competing responses in the brain; e.g., "do I choose a. or c.?" - initiation and motivation ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 26

What is Executive Function?

Answer 26

processes used to guide behavior toward a goal, especially in non-routine situations; plan, adapt, regulate ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 27

What are three words that apply to executive function?

Answer 27

adapt, plan, regulate ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 28

------------------ is often used as a catch-all term for a lot of processes.

Answer 28

Executive Function Think of a CEO who engages in supervising and directing processes to help engage in goal-drected behavior. ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 29

Executive functioning disabilities are ever-----------------.

Answer 29

shifting ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 30

Some executive functions can come "online" as early as ----------, but there is ------------ in what comes on when.

Answer 30

5 months; variance ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 31

List the order in which executive functions seem to come online, as found by Anderson (2002).

Answer 31

1. attentional control 2. cognitive flexibility 3. goal-setting 4. information processing ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 32

The -------------- circuit is responsible for "higher order" functions.

Answer 32

Dorsolateral ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 33

The dorsolateral circuit manages ---------- organization of behavior.

Answer 33

temporal ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 34

What is response monitoring, and which neural circuit is responsible for it?

Answer 34

Response monitoring is the maintenance and modification of behaviors. Example: working on a homework assignment, then thinking about whether you should continue working on this assignment or move on to a different one. Dorsolateral circuit ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 35

List and describe four functions managed by the dorsolateral circuit.

Answer 35

**Attentional control:** Choosing to direct your focus to a priority task **Working memory**: doing "mental math;" holding onto and manipulating information in your head **Preparatory motor set**: movement preparation; directing/planning your movement to achieve whatever task you are engaged in at the moment **Response monitoring:** maintenance and modification of your behaviors; thinking about whether you should continue with a behavior, etc. ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 36

What aspect of dorsolateral circuit functions would be associated with the following behaviors? - Thinking about whether you will get home before dark, whether should speed up. - Getting out of class and deciding to go on a run. - Remembering and navigating the new route that you are planning to take. - Tying your shoes, stretching, and starting on your run.

Answer 36

1. Response monitoring 2. Attentional control 3. Working Memory 4. Preparatory Motor Set ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 37

What is a situation in which you would use your orbitofrontal circuit?

Answer 37

Having a "gut feeling" that you should check in with a struggling family member. ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 38

What three things is your orbitofrontal circuit responsible for?

Answer 38

- inhibitory responses specific to regulation of emotional/social cues/behavior - Ability to empathize - Attaching autonomic and somatic tags (gut feelings) that influence behavior ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 39

Where is the Anterior Cingulate Circuit located?

Answer 39

on the top, front end of the corpus callosum ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 40

What are three words you could use to describe the functions of the anterior cingulate circuit?

Answer 40

Monitoring, initiation, motivation ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 41

What are four functions of the Anterior Cingulate Circuit?

Answer 41

- response monitoring - Error detection - conflict resolution - initiation and motivation ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 42

List an example for each of the four functions of the Anterior Cingulate Circuit.

Answer 42

**Response monitoring**: while washing dishes, considering whether there might be a more efficient way to do this chore **Error detection**: noticing that you missed a spot on the last glass you washed and rewashing it to correct the mistake **Conflict resolution**: deciding whether you should hand dry the dishes or let them air dry **Initiation and motivation**: realizing that you want to clean your house before your friends visit this weekend, and as result, you start catching up on washing dishes ## Footnote Attention & Executive Function - 3.7.2024

Question 43

Which area of the brain houses the three circuits responsible for many executive functioning behaviors?

Answer 43

Prefrontal cortex

Question 44

The dorsolateral circuit is responsible for the ------------------ of behavior, the orbitofrontal circuit is associated with the ---------------- ------------ ---------------- of behavior, and the anterior cingulate circuit is responsible for the -------------, --------------, and ----------- of behavior.

Answer 44

- organization - social/emotional regulation - initiation, monitoring, motivation

Question 45

# Functional Neuroanatomy of Attention: Follows Certain Pattern What three models aim to explain the functional neuroanatomy of attention?

Answer 45

- Mesulam's - Posner's - Mirksky's

Question 46

# List elements & neural mechs of functional neuranatomy attention model Mesulam's Model

Answer 46

sensory representation - parietal regions motivational importance - cingulate cortex motor response - frontal cortex

Question 47

# List elements & neural mechs of functional neuranatomy attention model Posner's model

Answer 47

**Orienting** (disengage, move, re-engage) - Posterior attention system (posterior parietal; superior colliculus; thalamus) **Vigilance** - Vigilance Attention System (right frontal and right parietal) **Executive** - Anterior/Executive Attention System (anterior cingulate, lateral prefrontal cortex)

Question 48

# List elements & neural mechs of functional neuranatomy attention model Mirksky's model

Answer 48

**Encode** (brief maintentance) - hippocampus, amygdala **Sustain** (vigilance) - Midbrain, brain stem, basal ganglia **Shift** (move/change focus) - prefrontal cortex, anterior cinculate, basal ganglia **Focus and execute** (allocate attentional resource, selective attention) - focus: interior parietal, superior temporal - execute: parietal, corpus striatum

Question 49

Which parts of the brain are implicated in all three models for functional neuroanatomy of attention?

Answer 49

- parietal - cingulate - frontal - prefrontal cortex

Question 50

lose awareness of one side of spatial or personal space; attention is "pulled" to one side - not caused by sensation or motor problems - unconscious awareness?

Answer 50

neglect

Question 51

Dysfunction in what area of the brain is associated with neglect

Answer 51

parietal lobe - parieto-occipital - inferior parietal

Question 52

when we talk about executive function, what do we mean by "plan, adapt, regulate"

Answer 52

planning our next actions; adapting to different circumstances/reasoning/problem solving regulating our reactions, not being impulsive