Executive Functioning

Patient WR was a law student who, upon graduating, suddenly stopped caring about his career and became a tennis couch, before quitting that too.

A CT scan four years later would reveal what?

• He had a tumour in his Lateral PFC

• He had a lesion in his Premotor Cortex

• He had early onset Alzheimer's

• He had been in a car accident and suffered amnesia

Answer explanation

WR's tumour had severely damaged his Lateral Prefrontal Cortex.

Lateral PFC is implicated in cognitive aspects of executive functions, including the goal-oriented behaviour that WR lost.

Orbital and Medial PFC is more implicated in emotional/social regulation of behaviour, which WR retained.

When driving to school/work, you may be on autopilot, but if you hit a diversion and need to change your route, you must activate which brain region?

• Prefrontal Cortex

• Premotor Cortex

• Anterior Temporal Lobe

• Parietal Lobe

Answer explanation

Prefrontal Cortex

Can be divided into three surfaces.

Lateral PFC: implicated in cognitive aspects of executive functions.

Orbital and Medial PFC: implicated in emotional/social regulation of behaviour

What are the three surfaces of the PFC?

• Lateral PFC

  Medial PFC

  Orbital PFC

• Superior PFC

  Inferior PFC

  Anterior PFC

• Dorsal PFC

  Ventral PFC

  Rostral PFC

• Cortical PFC

  Limbic PFC

  Basal PFC

Answer explanation

Prefrontal Cortex

Can be divided into three surfaces.

Lateral PFC: implicated in cognitive aspects of executive functions.

Orbital and Medial PFC: implicated in emotional/social regulation of behaviour

Which of the PFC's three surfaces is in charge of the cognitive aspects of executive functioning?

• Lateral PFC

• Medial PFC

• Orbital PFC

• None of the above

Answer explanation

Prefrontal Cortex

Can be divided into three surfaces.

Lateral PFC: implicated in cognitive aspects of executive functions.

Orbital and Medial PFC: implicated in emotional/social regulation of behaviour

Which of the PFC's three surfaces is in charge of the emotional/social aspects of behaviour?

• Lateral PFC

• Medial PFC

• Orbital PFC

• None of the above

Answer explanation

Prefrontal Cortex

Can be divided into three surfaces.

Lateral PFC: implicated in cognitive aspects of executive functions.

Orbital and Medial PFC: implicated in emotional/social regulation of behaviour

Which area/s of the PFC did Phineas Gage's accident damage?

• Lateral PFC

• Medial PFC

• Orbital PFC

• All of the above

• Medial PFC and Orbital PFC

Answer explanation

Prefrontal Cortex

Can be divided into three surfaces.

Lateral PFC: implicated in cognitive aspects of executive functions.

Orbital and Medial PFC: implicated in emotional/social regulation of behaviour

Modern reconstructions suggest that Phineas Gage’s brain lesion was specific to the Medial and Orbital surfaces of the Prefrontal Cortex, sparing the Lateral surfaces.

What two brain areas are implicated in emotional processing and risk vs reward?

• Orbitofrontal PFC

• Ventromedial PFC

• Ventrolateral PFC

• Dorsolateral PFC

Answer explanation

Which PFC area is repsposible for maintenence and retrieval of semantic, linguistic and visuospatial information?

• Ventrolateral PFC

• Orbitofrotnal PFC

• Dorsolateral PFC

• Frontal Pole

Answer explanation

Ventrolateral PFC (VLPFC)

Includes BA44, BA45, BA47

Retrieval & maintenance of semantic and/or linguistic information (BA 44+45 on left hemisphere aka Broca’s area)

Retrieval & maintenance of visual and spatial information (on right hemisphere)

Where is Brocca's Area?

• Ventrolateral PFC

• Orbitofrotnal PFC

• Dorsolateral PFC

• Frontal Pole

Answer explanation

Ventrolateral PFC (VLPFC)

Includes BA44, BA45, BA47

Retrieval & maintenance of semantic and/or linguistic information (BA 44+45 on left hemisphere aka Broca’s area)

Retrieval & maintenance of visual and spatial information (on right hemisphere)

The Ventrolateral PFC (VLPFC) is repsposible for maintenence and retrieval of semantic and linguistic information, as well as visuospatial information. Which hemisphere does which?

• Left VLPFC does semantic and linguistic

• Right VLPFC does semantic and linguistic

• Right VLPFC does visuospatial

• Left VLPFC does visuospatial

Answer explanation

Ventrolateral PFC (VLPFC)

Includes BA44, BA45, BA47

Retrieval & maintenance of semantic and/or linguistic information (BA 44+45 on left hemisphere aka Broca’s area)

Retrieval & maintenance of visual and spatial information (on right hemisphere)