The general-purpose working memory system and functions of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

This chapter points to evidence from single-cell recording in primates that cells in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) show sustained activity following removal of a visual stimulus, thereby offering a neural mechanism for maintenance in working memory. Some of these cells also show activity related to an activity that will be required following the delay, akin to maintenance of intended actions or prospective remembering. Consistent with this, DLPFC cells appear to support the link between visuospatial representations and representations of motor activity. The argument is broader, however, in suggesting that DLPFC has a general information processing role and is not just confined to visuospatial and motor representations. This chapter also offers a neurological implementation of a multiple component working memory.