The study investigates the role of the left inferior prefrontal cortex (LIPC) in semantic memory retrieval. Traditional theories suggest that LIPC mediates the selection of task-relevant knowledge from competing representations, but this study challenges this view by proposing that LIPC guides controlled semantic retrieval regardless of whether selection is required. Using event-related fMRI, the researchers found that LIPC activation increased with the level of control required during semantic retrieval and with the number of targets, indicating increased semantic retrieval demands. This activation was observed even in tasks that did not require selection, such as a semantic decision task where subjects had to determine which target was most globally related to a cue. The results suggest that LIPC plays a crucial role in controlling the recovery of semantic knowledge, supporting the controlled retrieval hypothesis over the selection hypothesis. The study also highlights the differential sensitivity of anterior and posterior LIPC regions to cue-target associative strength and semantic retrieval demands, providing strong evidence for a unitary perspective on LIPC function.The study investigates the role of the left inferior prefrontal cortex (LIPC) in semantic memory retrieval. Traditional theories suggest that LIPC mediates the selection of task-relevant knowledge from competing representations, but this study challenges this view by proposing that LIPC guides controlled semantic retrieval regardless of whether selection is required. Using event-related fMRI, the researchers found that LIPC activation increased with the level of control required during semantic retrieval and with the number of targets, indicating increased semantic retrieval demands. This activation was observed even in tasks that did not require selection, such as a semantic decision task where subjects had to determine which target was most globally related to a cue. The results suggest that LIPC plays a crucial role in controlling the recovery of semantic knowledge, supporting the controlled retrieval hypothesis over the selection hypothesis. The study also highlights the differential sensitivity of anterior and posterior LIPC regions to cue-target associative strength and semantic retrieval demands, providing strong evidence for a unitary perspective on LIPC function.