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

Advantages of using electronic data interchange , Advantages of using EDI o...

Advantages of using EDI over paper systems EDI and other related technologies keep company money by providing an option to, or replacing information flows that need a great dea

Evaluate marx''s theory of equality, Question 1 Explain Bentham's views on...

Question 1 Explain Bentham's views on jurisprudence and punishment Question 2 Evaluate the James Fitzjames Stephen's criticism of Mill's ‘On Liberty' Question 3 What was

C# USB on PC Side and USB, Using C# on PC, read a binary file, send it to ...

Using C# on PC, read a binary file, send it to the STM32 microcontroller via PC''s USB and STM32''s USB. The STM32 then saved this binary file into an I2C EEPROM. Of course it need

Sculpture, Sculpture: Three-dimensional art produced especially by forming...

Sculpture: Three-dimensional art produced especially by forming hard or plastic materials into three-dimensional objects, usually by carving or modeling. The designs may be produc

Authorisation of electronic fund transfer, AUTHORISATION EFT transactio...

AUTHORISATION EFT transactions necessitate communication between number of parties. When a card is applied at a merchant or Automated teller machine   (ATM), the transaction is

A data transfer converter, Develop a data transfer converter where by you c...

Develop a data transfer converter where by you can convert byte to kilobytes to megabytes using java

What are the forms of ownership for newspapers, Question 1 What are the fo...

Question 1 What are the forms of ownership for newspapers? Explain in detail Question 2 How can employees of an organization be rewarded? Discuss the tips for effective recog

Help with Assignment, Do you have responses to the questions that you have ...

Do you have responses to the questions that you have on this link? http://www.expertsmind.com/library/how-has-digital-media-influenced-the-field-of-e-commerce-51139755.aspx

Adolescence and family education, you being a teacher describe your experie...

you being a teacher describe your experiences regarding the role of school, parent and peers in imparting family life education.

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