Executive functions in cognitive neuroscience, Other Subject

Assignment Help:
Executive functions refer to a range of higher-order cognitive functions that enable organized and goal-directed behavior. Problems manifested by two exemplary brain damaged patients help illustrate the role executive functions play in cognition and everyday life. The first example is patient A, who suffers brain damage in a traffic accident. In the hospital he seems to recover well. He is able to perform relatively well in standard intelligence quotient tests as well as in other tests that are used in clinical neuropsyhological examination, such as tests for memory and attention. Surprising problems emerge, however, during the weeks following release from hospital. Relatives soon begin to complain that the patient’s behavior seems impulsive and erratic, selling his luxurious home for few thousands, forgetting to pay items that he takes from the store, and ending up in quarrels with his friends and neighbours.


Another exemplary patient, here called patient B, suffers a stroke. After initial recovery he too shows surprisingly intact performance in standard clinical neuropsychological tests. It does not, however, take long before his relatives start complaining about what they describe as apathy and lack of initiative exhibited by the patient at home. He fails to initiate and carry through any behaviors on his own. However, if instructed and supervised through a sequence of behaviors such as preparing and eating breakfast he carries out the tasks without major problems. What these exemplary patient cases have in common is that both exhibit problems in executive functions that often follow from damage to the frontal lobes of the brain, especially to prefrontal cortical areas. Findings pertaining to this will be described in the following.

Related Discussions:- Executive functions in cognitive neuroscience

Structural determinants of population health - gender, Gender: Sex has...

Gender: Sex has an effect on our health. Research shows that women have a long life span than men. This can be argued in that women are more conscious with their health and mo

Factors of broad area of Scientific Activity, Describe the Factors which de...

Describe the Factors which decide the broad area of Scientific activity?

History of new media, History of New media: The term has actually been use...

History of New media: The term has actually been used since the 1970s by researchers conducting social, psychological, economic, political and cultural studies of information and

Humanities, one of the ideals the greeks strived for was a a. unified Greek...

one of the ideals the greeks strived for was a a. unified Greek State B.uniform religion with one major deity C. balance and moderation in life. D. recognition in life that all hum

Cultural anthropology, Cultural anthropology : Cultural anthropology, appli...

Cultural anthropology : Cultural anthropology, applies the comparative method and evolutionary perspective to human culture. Culture represents the entire database of knowledge, va

Programmable security door lock, Sir kindly help me how to make a major pro...

Sir kindly help me how to make a major project on this topic...Thanks in advance

Apply relevant legislation and guidance - law, Jim and Maureen Stewart live...

Jim and Maureen Stewart live with their two children, Hamish aged 11 and Alexandra aged 13, in a council owned property within an inner London borough. Jim has a long standing diag

Medical Terminology, Identify ten diagnostic medical terms that use diagnos...

Identify ten diagnostic medical terms that use diagnostic suffixes, note the suffixes, AND provide definitions. Then identify ten RELATED procedural medical terms that use proce

Psychology, What is the dark side or reproicity

What is the dark side or reproicity

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd