Task Switching

Abstract

The ability to switch tasks is considered to be a hallmark of executive control. Research on the neural substrates of task representation, selection, preparation, and switching implicates an extensive frontoparietal cortical network in task-switching performance, although correlations between neural activity and behavioral effects are limited. Attempts to isolate switch-specific brain areas have proven to be challenging from analytical, empirical, and conceptual angles, with little evidence indicating that any single brain area underlies task switching. Understanding the functional connections among interacting brain areas may be the best approach to gaining insight into the neural basis of task switching and executive control. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.