Cognition, executive function and decision making

Where do executive functions occur?

pre-frontal cortex → frontal lobes of the brain

What are executive functions?

• identification of goals

  • assigning value to different choices

  • keeping an overall goal in mind while working to sub-goals

  • planning for the future

• Inhibition of inappropriate behaviours

• changing strategies

• working memory → act on things that aren’t immediately in front of you (capacity to imagine things and guide behaviour)

How is the frontal lobe organized?

rostral to caudal gradient

• abstract aspects of action are rostral → prefrontal cortex

• specific action required to achieve the abstract goal is caudal

What is the prefrontal cortex central to?

executive function

What are the dorsal-lateral regions of the PFC interconnected with?

premotor and sensory association cortex

What are medial ventral regions of the prefrontal cortex interconnected with?

temporal love and subcortical limbic structures

What are the dorsal-lateral regions associated with?

“cold” executive functions like solving a multistep math problem

What are the ventral-medial regions more associated with?

“hot” executive function like regulating social behaviour