Cited by 50Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeural dynamics and brain functionFunctional Brain Connectivity Studies

Executive functions and prefrontal cortex: a matter of persistence?

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Ball, Gareth, Stokes, Paul R., Rhodes, Rebecca A., Bose, Subrata K., Rezek, Iead, Wink, Alle-Meije, Lord, Louis-David, Mehta, Mitul A. +2 more·2011·Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience

Abstract

Executive function is thought to originates from the dynamics of frontal cortical networks. We examined the dynamic properties of the blood oxygen level dependent time-series measured with functional MRI (fMRI) within the prefrontal cortex (PFC) to test the hypothesis that temporally persistent neural activity underlies performance in three tasks of executive function. A numerical estimate of signal persistence, the Hurst exponent, postulated to represent the coherent firing of cortical networks, was determined and correlated with task performance. Increasing persistence in the lateral PFC was shown to correlate with improved performance during an n-back task. Conversely, we observed a correlation between persistence and increasing commission error - indicating a failure to inhibit a prepotent response - during a Go/No-Go task. We propose that persistence within the PFC reflects dynamic network formation and these findings underline the importance of frequency analysis of fMRI time-series in the study of executive functions.

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Crossref · 10.3389/fnsys.2011.00003

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  • The prefrontal cortex is involved in executive function and is an important substrate in the reward circuitry associated with development of alcohol dependence.

    “The PFC is involved in executive function and is an important substrate in the reward circuitry associated with development of alcohol dependence (19) .”

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Authors
Ball, G., Stokes, P. R., Rhodes, R. A., Bose, S. K., Rezek, I., Wink, A.-M., Lord, L.-D., Mehta, M. A., Grasby, P. M., & Turkheimer, F. E.
Affiliations
  • Hammersmith Hospital (GB)
  • Imperial College London (GB)
  • King's College London (GB)
Corresponding author
Turkheimer, Federico E.
Venue
Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience
Published
2011
Volume
5
Pages
3-3
ISSN
1662-5137 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2137901952
Cited by
50
References
116
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 5 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
FWCI
0.49
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Amsterdam UMC (VU Amsterdam) - Institutional Repository (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/E049451/1)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
Keywords
executive function, prefrontal cortex, signal persistence, Hurst exponent, long-range temporal correlations, lateral prefrontal cortex, n-back task, go/no-go task, response inhibition, commission errors, cortical network dynamics

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