Hot and cold executive functions in the brain: A prefrontal-cingular network
- PMID: 33997292
- PMCID: PMC8076773
- DOI: 10.1177/23982128211007769
Hot and cold executive functions in the brain: A prefrontal-cingular network
Abstract
Executive functions, or cognitive control, are higher-order cognitive functions needed for adaptive goal-directed behaviours and are significantly impaired in majority of neuropsychiatric disorders. Different models and approaches are proposed for describing how executive functions are functionally organised in the brain. One popular and recently proposed organising principle of executive functions is the distinction between hot (i.e. reward or affective-related) versus cold (i.e. purely cognitive) domains of executive functions. The prefrontal cortex is traditionally linked to executive functions, but on the other hand, anterior and posterior cingulate cortices are hugely involved in executive functions as well. In this review, we first define executive functions, their domains, and the appropriate methods for studying them. Second, we discuss how hot and cold executive functions are linked to different areas of the prefrontal cortex. Next, we discuss the association of hot versus cold executive functions with the cingulate cortex, focusing on the anterior and posterior compartments. Finally, we propose a functional model for hot and cold executive function organisation in the brain with a specific focus on the fronto-cingular network. We also discuss clinical implications of hot versus cold cognition in major neuropsychiatric disorders (depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, substance use disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism) and attempt to characterise their profile according to the functional dominance or manifest of hot-cold cognition. Our model proposes that the lateral prefrontal cortex along with the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex are more relevant for cold executive functions, while the medial-orbital prefrontal cortex along with the ventral anterior cingulate cortex, and the posterior cingulate cortex are more closely involved in hot executive functions. This functional distinction, however, is not absolute and depends on several factors including task features, context, and the extent to which the measured function relies on cognition and emotion or both.
Keywords: Executive functions; TMS; anterior cingulate cortex; fMRI; hot–cold cognition; neuroimaging; non-invasive brain stimulation; posterior cingulate cortex; prefrontal cortex; tDCS.
© The Author(s) 2021.
Conflict of interest statement
Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: M.A.N. is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Neuroelectrics and NeuroDevic. All other authors declare no competing interests.
Figures
![Figure 1.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/8076773/bin/10.1177_23982128211007769-fig1.gif)
![Figure 2.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/8076773/bin/10.1177_23982128211007769-fig2.gif)
![Figure 3.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/8076773/bin/10.1177_23982128211007769-fig3.gif)
![Figure 4.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/8076773/bin/10.1177_23982128211007769-fig4.gif)
Similar articles
-
Neuroimaging and neuromodulation approaches to study eating behavior and prevent and treat eating disorders and obesity.Neuroimage Clin. 2015 Mar 24;8:1-31. doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2015.03.016. eCollection 2015. Neuroimage Clin. 2015. PMID: 26110109 Free PMC article. Review.
-
[Structural and functional neuroanatomy of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)].Encephale. 2009 Apr;35(2):107-14. doi: 10.1016/j.encep.2008.01.005. Epub 2008 Jul 7. Encephale. 2009. PMID: 19393378 Review. French.
-
Interaction of the Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (l-DLPFC) and Right Orbitofrontal Cortex (OFC) in Hot and Cold Executive Functions: Evidence from Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS).Neuroscience. 2018 Jan 15;369:109-123. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.10.042. Epub 2017 Nov 4. Neuroscience. 2018. PMID: 29113929
-
Meta-Analysis of fMRI Studies of Disruptive Behavior Disorders.Am J Psychiatry. 2016 Nov 1;173(11):1119-1130. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.15081089. Epub 2016 Aug 13. Am J Psychiatry. 2016. PMID: 27523497
-
The role of the posterior cingulate cortex in cognition and disease.Brain. 2014 Jan;137(Pt 1):12-32. doi: 10.1093/brain/awt162. Epub 2013 Jul 18. Brain. 2014. PMID: 23869106 Free PMC article. Review.
Cited by
-
Resting-State Functional Connectivity Change in Frontoparietal and Default Mode Networks After Acute Exercise in Youth.Brain Plast. 2024 May 14;9(1-2):5-20. doi: 10.3233/BPL-240003. eCollection 2024. Brain Plast. 2024. PMID: 39081665 Free PMC article.
-
Healthy Lifestyle Related to Executive Functions in Chilean University Students: A Pilot Study.Healthcare (Basel). 2024 May 15;12(10):1022. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12101022. Healthcare (Basel). 2024. PMID: 38786435 Free PMC article.
-
The comparison of hot and cold executive functions in patients with bipolar II disorder, borderline personality disorder, and healthy individuals.Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2024 Mar 19;86(5):2598-2605. doi: 10.1097/MS9.0000000000001981. eCollection 2024 May. Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2024. PMID: 38694401 Free PMC article.
-
Simultaneous oscillatory encoding of "hot" and "cold" information during social interactions in the monkey medial prefrontal cortex.iScience. 2024 Mar 25;27(5):109559. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109559. eCollection 2024 May 17. iScience. 2024. PMID: 38646179 Free PMC article.
-
Cognitive, Emotional, and Daily Functioning Domains Involved in Decision-Making among Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review.Brain Sci. 2024 Mar 14;14(3):278. doi: 10.3390/brainsci14030278. Brain Sci. 2024. PMID: 38539666 Free PMC article. Review.
References
-
- Alizadehgoradel J, Sadeghi Nejati V, Movahed F, et al.. (2020) Repeated stimulation of the dorsolateral-prefrontal cortex improves executive dysfunctions and craving in drug addiction: A randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study. Brain Stimulation 13(3): 582–593. - PubMed
-
- Ardila A. (2019) Executive functions brain functional system. In: Ardila A, Fatima S, Rosselli M. (eds) Dysexecutive Syndromes: Clinical and Experimental Perspectives. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 29–41..
Publication types
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources