Recent advances in anatomical, behavioral, and physiological techniques
have produced new information about the nature of prefrontal function, its
cellular basis, and its anatomical underpinnings in nonhuman primates.
These findings are changing our views of prefrontal function and providing
insight into possible bases for human mental disorder. A major advance is
the recognition that various prefrontal areas are engaged in holding
information "on line" and updating past and current information on a
moment-to-moment basis. Studies of animals and of cognitive function in
normal, brain-injured, and schizophrenic subjects support the theory that a
defect in working memory--the ability to guide behavior by
representations--may be the fundamental impairment leading to schizophrenic
thought disorder.
Abstract Teaser