Executive Function and Higher-Order Cognition: Definition and Neural Substrates

Cognitive, or executive, control refers to the ability to coordinate thought and action and direct it toward obtaining goals. Evidence suggests that structures in the frontal lobe, particularly the prefrontal cortex (PFC), are critical for executive control. Here we review the role of the PFC. Perhaps most importantly, the PFC transmits acquired knowledge. Its neural activity reflects learned task contingencies, concepts, and rules. In short, the PFC seems to underlie our internal representations of the ‘rules of the game’. This may provide the foundation for the complex behavior of primates, in whom this structure is most elaborate.