Why does the prefrontal cortex prefer not to be involved, and how does a cascade of cognitive control from premotor cortex to frontal pole organize human decision-making? Etienne Koechlin maps the hierarchical architecture of executive function.

Subscribe for more from the Convergent Science Network podcast series.

Etienne Koechlin presents a model of prefrontal cortex function centered on the idea that action imposes a fundamental constraint on cognition: it forces the brain to collapse multiple interpretations into a single committed choice. Rather than viewing the prefrontal cortex as a repository of complex representations, Koechlin argues its primary role is to introduce seriality and decisiveness into cognitive processing, excluding alternative interpretations so the organism can act. The system's default state is automated beha ...