Functions of the frontal lobes: relation to executive functions

J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2011 Sep;17(5):759-65. doi: 10.1017/S1355617711000695. Epub 2011 May 24.

Abstract

Proceeding from the assumptions that specific frontal regions control discrete functions and that very basic cognitive processes can be systematically manipulated to reveal those functions, recent reports have demonstrated consistent anatomical/functional relationships: dorsomedial for energization, left dorsolateral for task setting, and right dorsolateral for monitoring. There is no central executive. There are, instead, numerous domain general processes discretely distributed across several frontal regions that act in concert to accomplish control. Beyond these functions, there are two additional "frontal" anatomical/functional relationships: ventral-medial/orbital for emotional and behavioral regulation, and frontopolar for integrative-even meta-cognitive-functions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Attention / physiology
  • Executive Function / physiology*
  • Frontal Lobe / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological