What function does the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex have in communication?

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex plays a crucial role in supporting executive functions, which include attention and working memory. These cognitive processes are essential for effective communication, as they allow individuals to organize their thoughts, hold relevant information while engaged in conversation, and adapt their responses based on the information received from their interlocutor.

For instance, when participating in a dialogue, one needs to attend to what the other person is saying, remember the context of previous statements, and formulate a coherent reply. This engagement requires robust working memory to keep track of ongoing conversations, as well as the ability to focus attention selectively on relevant details. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is directly involved in these processes, enhancing a person's ability to communicate effectively.

In contrast, other options propose functions that are more accurately associated with different brain regions or cognitive mechanisms. Managing emotional expressions in speech can involve limbic structures, while tracking non-verbal cues is often linked to the right hemisphere and mirror neuron systems. Creating spontaneous phrases relies more on language production systems, such as Broca's area. Thus, while all these functions are relevant to communication, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex's primary contribution lies in facilitating the foundational cognitive processes of attention and memory that support successful