Which brain lobe is most associated with executive functions like planning and self-control?

The frontal lobe is the brain region most associated with executive functions, including planning, inhibition, working memory, and goal-directed behavior. Within it, the prefrontal cortex plays a major role in weighing consequences, regulating impulses, and adapting to changing situations. The importance of this region was highlighted by the famous 1848 case of Phineas Gage, who survived a tamping iron injury that damaged his frontal lobe and was reported to have major personality changes afterward. Modern neuroscience has shown that the prefrontal cortex continues developing into early adulthood, which helps explain why self-control and long-term planning mature gradually. Because of this, the frontal lobe is often described as the brain’s “control center.”