Prefrontal cortex and neurological impairments of active thought 1 2 Tim Shallice and Lisa Cipolotti 1. Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK and SISSA, Trieste, Italy. email:
[email protected] 2. Neuropsychology Department, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1, UK and Dipartimento di Psicologia, Universita di Palermo, Italy. email:
[email protected] Short title: Impairments of active thought Corresponding Author: Tim Shallice, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK. email:
[email protected] 1 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION Overall perspective Why neuropsychology? The neuropsychological approach to frontal functions. BROAD BRUSH ASPECTS OF ACTIVE THOUGHT Dual system brain-based models of cognitive control Active thought and intelligence Active thought and language ESSENTIAL PREREQUISITES FOR ACTIVE THOUGHT Volition and concentration Set-Switching and response inhibition Active monitoring and checking Working memory FORMS OF ACTIVE THOUGHT Abstraction Deduction Reasoning in well-structured and less well-structured problem-spaces From lateral transformations to strategy shifts Planning for future action THEORETICAL CONCLUSIONS 2 Keywords Active thought, neuropsychology, prefrontal cortex, supervisory system, reasoning, lateralisation of function Abstract The paper reviews the effects of lesions to the frontal cortex in so far as they impact on the ability to carry out active thought, namely to reason, think flexibly, produce strategies and formulate and realise plans. How relevant neuropsychological studies should be carried out and why are discussed. The relation between active thought and each of intelligence and language are considered. The following basic processes necessary for effective active thought are reviewed: concentration, set-switching, inhibiting potentiated responses and monitoring and checking.