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April 21st, 2025
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Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences
neuroscience
biorxiv

Causal Contributions of Left Inferior and Medial Frontal Cortex to Semantic and Executive Control

Martin, S.Open in Google Scholar•Ferrante, M.Open in Google Scholar•Bruera, A.Open in Google Scholar•Hartwigsen, G.Open in Google Scholar

Semantic control guides the targeted and context-based retrieval from semantic memory. The overlap with and dissociation from domain-general executive control in the frontal lobe remains contentious. Here, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to probe the functional relevance of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) for semantic and executive control. Across four sessions, 24 participants received 1 Hz repetitive TMS to each region individually, dual-site TMS targeting both regions sequentially (IFG followed by pre-SMA), and sham TMS. Participants then completed semantic fluency, figural fluency, and picture-naming tasks. Stimulation of either region broadly disrupted both semantic and figural fluency, suggesting shared functionality. However, electric field modeling of the induced stimulation strength revealed distinct specializations: The left IFG was primarily associated with semantic control, as evidenced by verbal fluency deficits, while the pre-SMA played a domain-general role in executive functions, affecting non-verbal fluency and cognitive flexibility (e.g., clustering and switching during semantic fluency). Notably, only dual-site TMS impaired accuracy in figural fluency, providing unique evidence for successful compensation of executive functions through either the left IFG or pre-SMA following single-site perturbation. These findings underscore the multidimensionality of cognitive control and suggest a flexible task-dependent contribution of the IFG to control processes, either as semantic-specific or general executive resource. Furthermore, they highlight the tightly interconnected network of executive control subserved by the left IFG and pre-SMA, advancing our understanding of the neural basis of semantic and executive functions.

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