Interference processing in dual tasks - the functional role of the lateral prefrontal cortex

Numerous studies indicate fundamental limitations in the human ability to do multiple things at the same time. Recent theories on dual-task processing postulate the involvement of cognitive control processes in the coordination of the processing stream of multiple tasks. The most prominent neuroanatomical structure associated with the control of goal-directed human behavior is the lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC). It has been show with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) that the lPFC is also involved in the processing of dual tasks. However, the precise role of the lPFC for the control of dual-task processing and the neural mechanisms of dual-task coordination are still widely unknown. The three fMRI studies presented in this dissertation specify the functional role of the lPFC in interference processing in dual tasks.The results show (1) the generality of lPFC involvement across different types of dual-task situations, (2) the functional neuroanatomical dissociability of different dual-task relevant control process in the lPFC, (3) the role of the interaction of the lPFC with posterior task-relevant brain regions for the control of dual-task processing