Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Working Memory01:24

Working Memory

Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this information.
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory01:14

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Lobes of the Cerebrum01:22

Lobes of the Cerebrum

The cerebral cortex, a critical structure of the brain, is intricately divided into two hemispheres, each consisting of four distinct lobes: occipital, temporal, frontal, and parietal. These lobes function cooperatively to regulate various cognitive and sensory functions, forming the basis of our complex neural capabilities.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements.
Organization of the Brain01:30

Organization of the Brain

The brain is an integral component of the nervous system and serves as the center for processing sensory inputs, making decisions, and directing bodily actions. This complex organ is organized into three primary sections: the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain, each responsible for a range of vital functions.
Hindbrain
The hindbrain, located at the base of the brain, plays a vital role in regulating automatic processes that sustain life. It includes the medulla oblongata, which is essential for...
Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory01:26

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or playing an...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Frontal brain injury alters human risky choices in self and other contexts.

iScience·2026
Same author

Contusion Volume is a Cross-cohort Predictor of Delayed Seizures after Traumatic Brain Injury.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026
Same author

Non-invasive Neuromodulation Targeting Approach by Mapping Stimulations and Lesions That Modify Visual Memory.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

The network architecture of general intelligence in the human connectome.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

The white matter of Aha! moments.

BMC psychology·2026
Same author

Nutrition and Mental Health: Advances in Nutritional Cognitive Neuroscience.

Annual review of food science and technology·2026
Same journal

An expanded cortical map of von Economo neurons in the human medial prefrontal cortex.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2026
Same journal

For better and worse: neural self-partner overlap during social feedback is associated with relationship satisfaction and depressive symptoms.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2026
Same journal

Regions in the human inferior temporal gyrus are engaged in numerosity processing across visual stimulus categories.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2026
Same journal

Differentiation of cortical areas: effects of free energy minimization with broken symmetry.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2026
Same journal

Prior exposure to speech rapidly modulates cortical processing of high-level linguistic structure.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2026
Same journal

Beta bursts in SMA mediate anticipatory muscle inhibition.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Correlating Behavioral Responses to fMRI Signals from Human Prefrontal Cortex: Examining Cognitive Processes Using Task Analysis
10:33

Correlating Behavioral Responses to fMRI Signals from Human Prefrontal Cortex: Examining Cognitive Processes Using Task Analysis

Published on: June 20, 2012

Orbitofrontal contributions to human working memory.

Aron K Barbey1, Michael Koenigs, Jordan Grafman

  • 1Cognitive Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, US National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.

Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
|August 21, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The orbitofrontal cortex is essential for executive functions in working memory, specifically coordinating information maintenance, manipulation, and monitoring. Damage here impairs complex working memory tasks, not simple recall or manipulation.

More Related Videos

Conducting Concurrent Electroencephalography and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Recordings with a Flanker Task
13:18

Conducting Concurrent Electroencephalography and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Recordings with a Flanker Task

Published on: May 24, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Correlating Behavioral Responses to fMRI Signals from Human Prefrontal Cortex: Examining Cognitive Processes Using Task Analysis
10:33

Correlating Behavioral Responses to fMRI Signals from Human Prefrontal Cortex: Examining Cognitive Processes Using Task Analysis

Published on: June 20, 2012

Conducting Concurrent Electroencephalography and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Recordings with a Flanker Task
13:18

Conducting Concurrent Electroencephalography and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Recordings with a Flanker Task

Published on: May 24, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Neuropsychology
  • Brain Sciences

Background:

  • The prefrontal cortex's role in memory is well-studied.
  • The specific necessity of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) for working memory remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if the orbitofrontal cortex is necessary for working memory functions.
  • To elucidate the OFC's role in executive control within working memory.

Main Methods:

  • Studied human brain lesion patients: OFC lesions (n=24), non-OFC prefrontal lesions (n=40), and controls (n=54).
  • Administered Wechsler Memory Scale, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, and n-back task.
  • Compared performance across groups on tasks assessing working memory maintenance, manipulation, and monitoring.

Main Results:

  • Orbitofrontal cortex damage was linked to deficits in tasks requiring coordinated working memory processes (n-back task).
  • No significant deficits were observed in pure working memory maintenance (digit/spatial span forward) or manipulation (digit/spatial span backward, letter-number sequencing).

Conclusions:

  • The orbitofrontal cortex is crucial for executive control functions in working memory.
  • Neuropsychological evidence supports the necessity of the OFC for jointly maintaining, manipulating, and monitoring information.