Putting the Pieces Together: The Role of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Relational Memory Encoding
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Results from fMRI have strongly supported the idea that the ventrolateral PFC (VLPFC) contributes to successful memory formation, but the role the dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC) in memory encoding is more controversial. Some findings suggest that the DLPFC is recruited when one is processing relationships between items in working memory, and this processing specifically promotes subsequent memory for these relationships. However, previous studies could not rule out the possibility that DLPFC promotes memory during all elaborative encoding conditions and contributes to memory on all subsequent associative memory tests. To address this question directly, we used fMRI to examine activity during two encoding tasks that prompted participants to encode either relational or item-specific information. On relational trials, participants imagined pairs of items interacting, whereas on item-specific trials, participants imagined the items spatially separated and in different sizes. After scanning, we examined memory for relational information and item-specific information. fMRI results showed that DLPFC activity specifically promoted memory for relational information during relational encoding and not memory for item-specific information during item-specific encoding. In contrast, activity in the VLPFC predicted memory for both relational and item-specific information. The present results are consistent with the idea that the DLPFC specifically contributes to successful memory formation through its role in building relationships among items.
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The executive control network is engaged during cognitive tasks that require externally-directed attention, such as working memory, relational integration, response inhibition, and task-set switching.
“The ECN is engaged during cognitive tasks that require externally-directed attention, such as working memory32, relational integration33, response inhibition34, and task-set switching35.”
From Default and executive network coupling supports creative idea production (2015) · cites this paper as [33]
Supporting evidence comes from neuroimaging studies reporting activation within the lateral prefrontal cortex, a core hub of the executive control network.
“Supporting evidence comes from neuroimaging studies reporting activation within the lateral prefrontal cortex, a core hub of the executive control network (ECN; 3, 33).”
From Default and executive network coupling supports creative idea production (2015) · cites this paper as [33]
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- Authors
- Blumenfeld, R. S., Parks, C. M., Yonelinas, A. P., & Ranganath, C.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas (US)
- University of California, Davis (US)
- 3University of California, Davis
- Corresponding author
- Blumenfeld, Robert S.
- Venue
- Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
- Publisher
- MIT Press
- Published
- 2011-01-01
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 257-265
- ISSN
- 0898-929X (ISSN-L)
- 1530-8898
- PMC
- PMC3970078
- OpenAlex
- W2104232207
- Cited by
- 209
- References
- 60
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 8.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- University of California, Davis
- National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH083734, R01MH068721, F31MH079776)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
- Keywords
- dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, relational memory, memory encoding, elaborative encoding, associative memory, working memory
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Association Learning, Brain Mapping, Concept Formation, Cues, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Functional Laterality, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Memory, Neuropsychological Tests, Oxygen, Vocabulary, Prefrontal Cortex
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