abstract Marie Banich

Marie Banich (University of Colorado at Boulder, U.S.A.)

Eye on the prize: The role of right lateral prefrontal regions in goal selection and maintenance

In this talk, I will discuss research from our group using computational, psychological and neurobiological perspectives which suggests that a network of regions in right lateral prefrontal cortex plays a predominant role in selecting and maintaining goal-related information.  Research will be presented to suggest that right frontopolar cortex may play a more prominent role in voluntary goal selection, that right mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may be important for goal maintenance in a domain general manner, especially in the face of distracting information, and that the right inferior prefrontal cortex may aid in processing contextual and environmental information specifically in reference to their compatibility with current goals.  I will also discuss work that speaks to the connectivity of these regions so as to support integrated processing of goal-related activities.  Finally, I will conclude by presenting research examining how the characteristics of this right-lateralized network as assessed by graph theory is be influenced by executive demands and individual differences in a latent factor that taps a common general factor of executive function.