The lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) is essential for higher-level cognition, but how its interactions support cognitive control remains elusive. Previously (Nee and D'Esposito, 2016), dynamic causal modeling (DCM) indicated that mid LPFC integrates abstract, rostral and concrete, caudal influences to inform context-appropriate action. Here, we use continuous theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (cTBS) to causally test this model. cTBS was applied to three LPFC sites and a control site in counterbalanced sessions. Behavioral modulations resulting from cTBS were largely predicted by information flow within the previously estimated DCM. However, cTBS to caudal LPFC unexpectedly impaired processes presumed to involve rostral LPFC. Adding a pathway from caudal to mid-rostral LPFC significantly improved the model fit and accounted for the observed behavioral findings. These data provide causal evidence for LPFC dynamics supporting cognitive control and demonstrate the utility of combining DCM with causal manipulations to test and refine models of cognition.

外侧前额叶皮层（LPFC）对于更高级别的认知至关重要，但是其相互作用如何支持认知控制仍然遥遥无期。以前（Nee和D'Esposito，2016年），动态因果模型（DCM）表明，中层LPFC整合了抽象的，有喙的和具体的，尾部的影响，以告知适合于上下文的动作。在这里，我们使用连续的Theta-burst经颅磁刺激（cTBS）来因果检验该模型。cTBS在平衡会话中应用于三个LPFC站点和一个控制站点。由cTBS产生的行为调制在很大程度上是由先前估计的DCM中的信息流预测的。但是，cTBS到尾部LPFC的过程意外地受损，推测涉及鼻尖LPFC。添加从尾部到中鼻侧LPFC的通路可显着改善模型拟合并解释观察到的行为发现。这些数据为支持认知控制的LPFC动态提供了因果证据，并证明了将DCM与因果操作相结合来测试和完善认知模型的实用性。