Toward a fully distributed inhibitory control system: converging evidence across modalities.

Abstract

Inhibitory control has been associated with the right inferior frontal cortex, supported by converging evidence from lesion, stimulation, and neuroimaging studies. Recent work, however, emphasizes the role of distributed cortical networks for inhibitory control. Eggert et al. (2025) used source-resolved electroencephalogram and directed connectivity analyses to characterize large-scale cortical interactions during response inhibition, identifying the anterior insula as a coordinating node. Here, we situate these findings within the broader literature spanning electroencephalogram, functional magnetic resonance imaging, and human intracranial electrophysiology. Electroencephalogram connectivity analyses complement existing work by characterizing large-scale coordination, particularly given the challenges of dissociating inferior frontal cortex and anterior insula. When considered alongside causal and intracranial evidence, these results support inhibitory control as an emergent property of distributed cortical systems.