Causal evidence for lateral prefrontal cortex dynamics supporting cognitive control.

ABSTRACT: The lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) is essential for higher-level cognition, but the nature of its interactions in supporting cognitive control remains elusive. Previously (Nee and D'Esposito, 2016), dynamic causal modeling (DCM) indicated that mid LPFC integrates abstract, rostral and concrete, caudal influences to inform context-appropriate action. Here, we use continuous theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (cTBS) to test this model causally. cTBS was applied to three LPFC sites and a control site in counterbalanced sessions. Behavioral modulations resulting from cTBS were largely predicted by information flow within the previously estimated DCM. However, cTBS to caudal LPFC unexpectedly impaired processes that are presumed to involve rostral LPFC. Adding a pathway from caudal

SUBMITTER: Nee DE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5640427 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature