Transcranial magnetic stimulation reveals complex cognitive control representations in the rostral frontal cortex

Convergent evidence suggests that the lateral frontal cortex is at the heart of a brain network subserving cognitive control. Recent theories assume a functional segregation along the rostro-caudal axis of the lateral frontal cortex based on differences in the degree of complexity of cognitive control. However, the functional contribution of specific rostral and caudal sub-regions remains elusive. Here we investigate the impact of disrupting rostral and caudal target regions on cognitive control processes, using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Participants performed three different task-switching conditions that assessed differences in the degree of complexity of cognitive control processes, after temporally disrupting rostral, or caudal target regions, or a control region. Disrupting the rostral lateral frontal region specifically impaired behavioral performance of the most complex task-switching condition, in comparison to the caudal target region and the control region. These novel findings shed light on the neuroanatomical architecture supporting control over goal-directed behavior.