Higher level cognitive functions, such as attention, emotion, language, and memory, are thought to be associated most closely to activity in:
A) the myelin surrounding axons
B) the cell axons themselves, but not the cell bodies
C) the gray matter of the brain
D) the white matter in the left cerebral hemisphere

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Gray matter of the brain, which is composed of cell bodies, is responsible for higher cognitive functions such as attention, emotion, language, and memory. White matter, which is composed of myelinated axons, is responsible for transmitting signals between different areas of gray matter. Therefore, while white matter is important for overall brain function, it is not directly responsible for higher level cognitive processes.

Higher Level Cognitive Functions, Such as Attention, Emotion, Language, and Memory