Cognition is the processing of information, application of knowledge, and changes in the preferences of an individual. The cognitive processes can be conscious or unconscious, real or artificial. Cognition has been considered as an advanced human brain function and it has been directly related to the brain in the factual and symbolic levels.
Cognitive studies and functional brain imaging are carried out on healthy individuals as healthy brains have been used to analyze the cognitive functions of the brains. The prefrontal cortex has been realized as a part of the brain involved in cognitive functioning. It has been noticed by the patients who have been suffering from frontal brain lesions as these are the patients who have shown drastic changes in their cognitive abilities after the lesions (Bellugi, St. George, and Galaburda, 2001, p. 23).
The cognitive processes controlled by the prefrontal cortex include planning, reasoning, and problem-solving. In addition to this, it has been realized that dopamine has a function in cognition. Thus it has been researched that there are many executive functions including the memory that are under the control of the prefrontal context of the brain. The frontal cortex controls the working memory (Fleischman, 2004, p. 34). Understanding the functioning of the frontal cortex has been made successful by using the Baddeley model that has explained the functioning of the prefrontal cortex. Slave systems and the central executive systems have been modeled in this case. The model says that two slave systems are controlled by the central executive.
The function of the central lobe of the brain has been the same as that of the central executive. Thereby the researchers have referred to the failure and damage to the central lobe as the dysexecutive syndrome. It has been said that the patients suffering from dysexecutive syndrome are unable to perform dual cognitive functions. These findings are based on analysis rather than anatomical terms (Harrison, and Owen, 2002, p. 34).
Phineas Gage was the man who had an accident in which an iron rod had driven into his head. This accident had destroyed his frontal lobes and this accident had made changes to his personality. This accident has been known as the American crowbar case.
Frontal lobes have been linked with emotions and practical decision-making. Many neurologists analyzed the mental state through which Gage was going through. It has been reported by the neurologists that the intellectual faculties had been disturbed. Regularly, Gage was committing blasphemy after the accident (Macmillan, 2002, p. 13). The admiration that a person has for his fellows, had diminished. The advice that had been given to him, if were against his desires made him furious illustrating the fact that planning was the main cognitive function that had been affected. The main change that was noticed related to devising many plans for the future and these plans were sooner or later canceled or reshaped in some manner by Gage (Willingham, 2006, p. 45).
The frontal cortex, particularly the prefrontal cortex is the part that has been noticed to play roles in cognitive functioning. In addition to the frontal cortex, roles of the temporal lobes have been established and it has been seen that the lesions and the loss of temporal lobes cause amnesia. The chemicals that have been associated with the functioning of the frontal lobes include dopamine.
References
Bellugi, Ursula., St. George, Marie., and Galaburda, M. Albert. (2001). Journey from cognition to brain to gene: perspectives from Williams Syndrome: Bradford Books. MIT Press.
Fleischman, John. (2004). Phineas Gage: A Gruesome But True Story About Brain Science. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Harrison, E. John., and Owen, M. Adrian. (2002). Cognitive deficits in brain disorders. Informa Health Care.
Macmillan, Malcolm. (2002). An Odd Kind of Fame: Stories of Phineas Gage: A Bradford Book Series. MIT Press.
Quinlan, Philip., and Dyson, Ben (2008). Cognitive Psychology. Prentice Hall.
Willingham, T. Daniel. (2006). Cognition: The Thinking Animal: MySearchLab Series 15% Off Series. Edition 3, Prentice Hall.