The primate prefrontal cortex (PFC) subserves our highest order cognitive operations, and
yet is tremendously dependent on a precise neurochemical environment for proper …

Humans are remarkably limited in:(i) how many control-dependent tasks they can execute
simultaneously, and (ii) how intensely they can focus on a single task. These limitations are …

Mood, motivation, attention, and arousal are behavioral states having a profound impact on
cognition. Behavioral states are mediated though the peripheral nervous system and …

In recent years, ideas from the computational field of reinforcement learning have
revolutionized the study of learning in the brain, famously providing new, precise theories of …

Brain dopamine (DA) has long been implicated in cognitive control processes, including
working memory. However, the precise role of DA in cognition is not well-understood, partly …

Executive function is a collection of cognitive processes essential for higher order mental
function. Processes involved in executive function include, but are not limited to, working …

Since its conception three decades ago, the idea that the striatum consists of a dorsal
sensorimotor part and a ventral portion processing limbic information has sparked a quest …

We review the modulatory effects of the catecholamine neurotransmitters noradrenaline and
dopamine on prefrontal cortical function. The effects of pharmacologic manipulations of …

Goal-directed action in changing environments requires a dynamic balance between
complementary control modes, which serve antagonistic adaptive functions (eg, to shield …

The symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) involve impairments in
prefrontal cortical top-down regulation of attention and behavior. All current pharmacological …