Frontal Cortex and the Hierarchical Control of Behavior
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Updated: Feb 17, 2026

Disruption of Frontal Lobe Neural Synchrony During Cognitive Control by Alcohol Intoxication
Published on: February 6, 2019
1Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Brown Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
Abstract:
The frontal lobes are important for cognitive control, yet their functional organization remains controversial. An influential class of theory proposes that the frontal lobes are organized along their rostrocaudal axis to support hierarchical cognitive control. Here, we take an updated look at the literature on hierarchical control, with particular focus on the functional organization of lateral frontal cortex. Our review of the evidence supports neither a unitary model of lateral frontal function nor a unidimensional abstraction gradient. Rather, separate frontal networks interact via local and global hierarchical structure to support diverse task demands.
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