One of the areas of the brain that has been most studied by scientists is the frontal lobe. It is one of the most interesting and important brain structures, as it controls higher cognitive functions, in addition to having motor and language implications.
It is mainly responsible for controlling behavior, which makes it fundamental in the development of human beings. Although this structure is also found in animals, it is important to note that it is highly developed only in people.
What is the frontal lobe?
In the contributions of Morgado (2005) “Psychobiology of learning and memory: foundations and recent advances”and of Psychobiology by Rosenweig et al. (2005) – which serves as the basis for this article – we found that the frontal lobe is the largest part of the brain, occupying one third of the total cerebral cortex. It is an anatomical structure located in the anterior region of the head, behind the forehead area.
It contains fundamental functions for life and the cognitive processes that separate human beings from animals, which gives meaning to the fact that the human race has a much more developed frontal lobe than the rest of the animals.
This wonderful structure is separated from the temporal lobe by a lateral fissure known as the Sylvian fissure, while the central fissure, also known as the Roland fissure, is responsible for separating it from the parietal lobe.
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The frontal lobe is responsible for many cognitive and even motor functions, which is why it is considered the most important for human beings. But it is important to highlight the fact that the frontal lobe alone cannot work efficiently.
It therefore requires a joint work of all the brain structures that are orchestrated, so to speak, by the frontal lobe. Due to its location and wide extension, it is the area of the brain most prone to injury.
Although it can be considered one of the many parts of the brain, it must be taken into account that the frontal lobes do not work on their own, and that they only make sense as a brain structure when they work in coordination with the rest of the brain.
Frontal lobe function
The frontal lobe is directly involved in cognitive processes, such as thinking, decision making, judgment, conflict resolution, attention, memory, planning… It also plays a fundamental role in behavior, determining the control of emotions. the sexual and social impulses and behaviors of human beings.
It is responsible for spontaneity, the ability to plan, and motivation and is also implicit in the function of language. Although it is generally associated with cognitive functions, the frontal lobe is also responsible for motor skills, since thanks to this structure it is possible to coordinate and plan movements voluntarily.
Likewise, it is responsible for the motor part of language since it contains Broca’s area, which is the structure that is responsible for the production of speech.
Below we summarize some of the functions of the frontal lobe:
- Planning. It allows the brain to make future projections about things that are going to happen or that we want to do, in addition to allowing us to take into consideration the possible consequences or results.
- Projection. It is responsible for the ability to think about the future based on previous learning and experiences, which allows us to project what may happen in a distant time.
- Motivation. Just as it allows you to plan, the frontal lobe is responsible for helping to maintain motivation and look for strategies that allow you to achieve the objectives set.
- Language. It is responsible for the motor part of the speech process, being responsible for the coordination of the movements involved in the production of sounds.
- Metacognition. This structure is fundamental in the thinking process, but it is not only limited to this function, it also allows metacognition, which is nothing more than abstract thinking. So it is important for the imagination and even allows us to think about how we think.
- Work memory. It is fundamental for the memory process of aspects that do not need to be stored long term, but that are relevant for the performance of a particular task. It is implicit in the performance of highly complex tasks that require our attention.
These are just some of the functions of this complex structure that is fundamental for people’s lives, since it contains everything that gives human quality, in addition to being responsible for the control of impulses and behavior.
Although it has been one of the most studied parts of the brain, even today its full implications on people’s lives are unknown, both on a physical, mental and emotional level.
References:
- Morgado, I. (2005). Psychobiology of learning and memory: foundations and recent advances. Rev Neurol, 40 (5): 289-297.
- Rosenweig, M.R., Breedlove, S.M. & Watson, N.V. (2005). Psychobiology: An introduction to behavioral, cognitive, and clinical neuroscience. Barcelona: Ariel.