The relationships between episodic memory, working memory, and executive functions: The contribution of the prefrontal cortex

Discusses the neurophysiological functions of the prefrontal cortex related to memory processes. Functional brain imaging studies have revealed that distinct regions of the prefrontal cortex are engaged in episodic memory operations, with some regions apparently part of multiple networks subserving different memory abilities. The prefrontal cortex is also involved in shifting processes. Working memory processes within the dorsolateral and ventrolateral frontal cortex are organized according to the type of processing required rather than the nature of the information being processed. The binding of contextual information, both incidentally and intentionally, is the most crucial process involved in episodic memory. Inhibition control involves not only bilateral prefrontal areas, but also posterior regions and subcortical structures, but the specific role of the cerebral areas is not clear at present