Neuroscience - Storage and executive processes in the frontal lobes

The human frontal cortex helps mediate working memory, a system that is use d for temporary storage and manipulation of information and that is involve d in many higher cognitive functions. Working memory includes two component s: short-term storage (on the order of seconds) and executive processes tha t operate on the contents of storage. Recently, these two components have b een investigated in functional neuroimaging studies. Studies of storage ind icate that different frontal regions are activated for different kinds of i nformation: storage for verbal materials activates Broca's area and Left-he misphere supplementary and premotor areas; storage of spatial information a ctivates the right-hemisphere premotor cortex; and storage of object inform ation activates other areas of the prefrontal cortex. Two of the fundamenta l executive processes are selective attention and task management. Both pro cesses activate the anterior cingulate and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.