ABSTRACT
This chapter considers different possible functional organizations of the prefrontal cortex: for instance, different functional roles for the lateral versus orbital surfaces; different functional roles for posterior versus anterior portions of the lateral surface; and hemispheric differences. The concept of executive functions is closely related to another distinction with a long history in cognitive science—namely, that between automatic and controlled behaviour. The prefrontal cortex has extensive connections with virtually all sensory systems, the cortical and subcortical motor system and structures involved in affect and memory. The prefrontal cortex within the frontal lobes is widely recognized as playing a crucial role in working memory. Contemporary research has suggested that performance on these tasks is related to particular brain regions rather than the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in general. A study comparing brain damage to the right and left lateral PFC is also consistent with a greater role of the right PFC in monitoring.
