Defining Cognition 07:15

When it comes to the human brain, there are various components to its function. Much of how we understand the function of the human brain is via our behavior; how we interact with the world and behave within it. To interact with the world around us, inside of us, and with others, we require mental functions that allow the execution of these behaviors. These mental functions are referred to as cognitive abilities, many of which are familiar to the layperson. Such cognitive abilities include attention, memory, organization, and reaction time.

Cognition is affected by myriad health conditions, physical, environmental, and psychological states, both acutely and chronically. Cognition represents the manifestation of the function of the brain, which may be correlated to the unseen everyday function and structure of the brain. Cognitive Domains refer to specialized, modular functions of cognition. In this course, we focus specifically on four primary cognitive domains; Executive Functioning, Attention, Memory, and Processing Speed, all of which overlap with each other. These domains have functional and structural correlations in the brain.