The cognitive neuroscience of working memory explores how information is temporarily stored and manipulated to guide behavior. Working memory is crucial for coordinating processing when multiple goals are active and for guiding behavior with information not present in the immediate environment. Recent research has converged on the idea that information is encoded into working memory through attention to internal representations, including semantic, sensory, and motoric information. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a key role in controlling behavior by biasing the salience of mnemonic representations and adjudicating among competing rules. The "control of the controller" arises from interactions between PFC and striatal circuits, and dopaminergic signals. The multicomponent model of working memory, introduced by Baddeley and Hitch in 1974, posits that working memory consists of separate systems, including the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad, which operate independently of long-term memory (LTM) but under the control of a central executive. This model has been influential in understanding the buffering and coordinating functions of working memory. Recent state-based models suggest that working memory involves different states of activation, such as activated LTM and sensorimotor recruitment. These models propose that information is retained in working memory through attentional selection, with capacity limits influenced by interference and the need for precise representation. Neural evidence supports the idea that working memory involves the temporary activation of LTM representations and sensorimotor recruitment. Multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) has shown that information held in working memory can be decoded from brain regions like primary visual cortex and parietal cortex. Sensorimotor recruitment models suggest that the same systems involved in perception also contribute to short-term retention of information. Studies using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have shown that disrupting activity in sensorimotor regions affects working memory performance. Working memory is supported by persistent neural activity in the PFC, which is crucial for maintaining representations critical for guiding behavior. The PFC is involved in hierarchical processing, with more abstract representations requiring anterior regions. Functional MRI studies have shown that activation in the PFC moves rostrally as action representations become more abstract. This suggests a functional gradient along the anterior-posterior axis of the frontal cortex, with anterior regions involved in higher-order processing. The PFC also plays a role in top-down control over other brain regions, providing signals that guide activity across networks. The organization of the PFC is hierarchical, with anterior regions influencing posterior regions more than vice versa. Anatomical and functional studies support this hierarchy, with rostral areas having widespread connections and caudal areas having more intrinsic connections. These findings highlight the complex interplay between different brain regions in supporting working memory and cognitive control.The cognitive neuroscience of working memory explores how information is temporarily stored and manipulated to guide behavior. Working memory is crucial for coordinating processing when multiple goals are active and for guiding behavior with information not present in the immediate environment. Recent research has converged on the idea that information is encoded into working memory through attention to internal representations, including semantic, sensory, and motoric information. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a key role in controlling behavior by biasing the salience of mnemonic representations and adjudicating among competing rules. The "control of the controller" arises from interactions between PFC and striatal circuits, and dopaminergic signals. The multicomponent model of working memory, introduced by Baddeley and Hitch in 1974, posits that working memory consists of separate systems, including the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad, which operate independently of long-term memory (LTM) but under the control of a central executive. This model has been influential in understanding the buffering and coordinating functions of working memory. Recent state-based models suggest that working memory involves different states of activation, such as activated LTM and sensorimotor recruitment. These models propose that information is retained in working memory through attentional selection, with capacity limits influenced by interference and the need for precise representation. Neural evidence supports the idea that working memory involves the temporary activation of LTM representations and sensorimotor recruitment. Multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) has shown that information held in working memory can be decoded from brain regions like primary visual cortex and parietal cortex. Sensorimotor recruitment models suggest that the same systems involved in perception also contribute to short-term retention of information. Studies using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have shown that disrupting activity in sensorimotor regions affects working memory performance. Working memory is supported by persistent neural activity in the PFC, which is crucial for maintaining representations critical for guiding behavior. The PFC is involved in hierarchical processing, with more abstract representations requiring anterior regions. Functional MRI studies have shown that activation in the PFC moves rostrally as action representations become more abstract. This suggests a functional gradient along the anterior-posterior axis of the frontal cortex, with anterior regions involved in higher-order processing. The PFC also plays a role in top-down control over other brain regions, providing signals that guide activity across networks. The organization of the PFC is hierarchical, with anterior regions influencing posterior regions more than vice versa. Anatomical and functional studies support this hierarchy, with rostral areas having widespread connections and caudal areas having more intrinsic connections. These findings highlight the complex interplay between different brain regions in supporting working memory and cognitive control.