title: Transcranial magnetic stimulation reveals complex cognitive control representations in the rostral frontal cortex.
abstract: Convergent evidence suggests that the lateral frontal cortex is at the heart of a brain network subserving cognitive control. Recent theories assume a functional segregation along the rostro-caudal axis of the lateral frontal cortex based on differences in the degree of complexity of cognitive control. However, the functional contribution of specific rostral and caudal sub-regions remains elusive. Here we investigate the impact of disrupting rostral and caudal target regions on cognitive control processes, using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Participants performed three different task-switching conditions that assessed differences in the degree of complexity of cognitive control processes, after temporally disrupting rostral, or caudal target regions, or a control region. Disrupting the rostral lateral frontal region specifically impaired behavioral performance of the most complex task-switching condition, in comparison to the caudal target region and the control region. These novel findings shed light on the neuroanatomical architecture supporting control over goal-directed behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Germany; Institute of Psychology II, University of Lübeck, Germany. Electronic address: joerg.bahlmann@neuro.uni-luebeck.de.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bahlmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Beckmann
authors.affiliation: Institute for Robotics and Cognitive Systems, University of Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kuhlemann
authors.affiliation: Institute for Robotics and Cognitive Systems, University of Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schweikard
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Germany; Institute of Psychology II, University of Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Münte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; cognitive control; lateral frontal cortex