What would a lesion to the prefrontal cortex be expected to affect in the WMM?

• A. Only Long-Term Memory retrieval.
• B. Visuospatial Sketchpad is the sole affected.
• C. Likely impaired Central Executive control and coordination, with secondary effects on maintenance tasks due to poorer attentional control.
• D. Memory is unaffected.

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is that the prefrontal cortex underpins executive control in the Working Memory Model. The Central Executive is the control system that directs attention, updates and coordinates the two storage systems (the phonological loop and the visuospatial sketchpad), and handles planning and inhibition. When the prefrontal cortex is damaged, this top-level control becomes weaker. That means tasks that require coordinating and managing attentional resources across the storage systems suffer the most. With poorer attentional control, maintenance of information in working memory also becomes less reliable, because there’s less ability to keep focus on the items and shield them from interference. So the most accurate description is that central executive control and coordination would be impaired, with secondary effects on maintenance due to reduced attentional control.

Other options don’t fit because long-term memory retrieval isn’t the primary function of the central executive in the WMM, and the visuospatial sketchpad wouldn’t be the sole affected component—its performance would be compromised mainly through reduced executive control. Saying memory is unaffected also contradicts the known impact of prefrontal damage on working memory tasks.