We have known the fundamental role of the prefrontal cortex since, in the mid-19th century, the railroad worker Phineas Gage suffered a tragic work accident that damaged his frontal lobe and, consequently, his decision-making capacity.
Subsequently, studies carried out on World War I veterans who had suffered damage to the frontal lobe showed that these subjects had great difficulties in managing new tasks. To delve deeper into who is responsible for these problems, in this Psychology-Online article, we will talk about What is the prefrontal cortex and what functions does it do?.
What is the prefrontal cortex?
The prefrontal cortex of human beings has had a development that reaches up to 35% of the extension of the entire neocortical mantle and this area is attributed an essential hierarchical position in the explanation of cognitive processes. In fact, the prefrontal cortex assumes a regulatory role in cognitive taskseven antagonistic to each other, so a unitary definition is impossible and incorrect.
So what is the prefrontal cortex? An area of cerebral cortex of the frontal lobes corresponding to the superior and middle frontal gyri and the orbital gyri. It is considered a polymodal associative area, since it receives statements from practically all other cortical areas, the thalamus and numerous subcortical centers, among which the most important is the . The following article you will find more information about.
Areas of the prefrontal cortex
The prefrontal cortex is one of the last to mature. At what age does the prefrontal head develop? The circuits of this part of the cortex, the process of clearing some connections and strengthening others could reach fullness around age 25. Areas such as the prefrontal cortex and the connections between the prefrontal area and other parts of the brain mature more slowly and continue to change throughout adolescence and beyond.
From an anatomical point of view, the prefrontal cortex in humans is defined as isocortical associative area which includes the Regio frontalis of Brodmann’s areas 8-12 and 44-47 and areas 24 and 32 of the Regio cingularis. Specifically, the areas of the prefrontal cortex are the following:
- Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex: is responsible for the organization and planning of complex behaviors and higher-level knowledge. The functions of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex are voluntary and logically ordered actions related to motor programming, verbal fluency, learning and the use of concepts and strategies.
- medial prefrontal cortex: another part of the prefrontal cortex that, specifically, plays an important role in both cognitive and emotional motivation.
- Orbitofrontal prefrontal cortex: of the regions of the prefrontal cortex, this has the function of regulating and inhibiting, if necessary, the development of stimuli that interfere with the task in progress. It is also responsible for controlling motivations and instinctive pressures.
The prefrontal cortex fulfills all its functions, including in association with the thalamus and the basal ganglia, forming the so-called frontosubcortical circuits. Furthermore, an important functional center for spoken language has been demonstrated in the prefrontal cortex, known as Broca’s area, which is located in the dominant hemisphere, generally the left, at the foot of the third frontal gyrus.
Functions of the prefrontal cortex
The prefrontal cortex is closely related in its evolutionary aspects to the complexity of behavioral patterns and events of response and adaptation to the social and natural environment of the individual. Therefore, the prefrontal cortex represents a basic structure for social behavior and cognitive processes.
According to recent concepts, the prefrontal cortex is the seat of decision-making processes and ethics. The main functions of the prefrontal cortex are the following:
- Regulation of emotions: The prefrontal cortex constantly modulates our thoughts, feelings, and actions through sophisticated attention and decision-making processes. Find more information about .
- Planning and organization of future actions depending on the consequences they entail. This area of the brain is activated in tasks that involve a delay between the stimulus and the behavioral response or that depend on recent experience to complete them.
- Work memory: One of the main functions of the central cortex is working or short-term memory. If you are wondering what type of memory the prefrontal cortex involves, specifically, it is responsible for temporary memory that stores information for a short period of time. This intervenes in complex processes such as language or reasoning. Discover .
- Another function of the prefrontal cortex is awareness of pain.
Prefrontal cortex lesions
The proof that the prefrontal cortex plays a crucial role in all the aforementioned functions is the observation of the effects caused by lesions of the prefrontal cortex. Let’s see what they are:
- Lesions of part of the frontal lobe: lead to disorders in the initiation and planning of activities, emotional state and memory. They are also associated with complex personality changes.
- Destruction of the most rostral and basal portions: causes hyperactivity, lack of rest and autonomic and emotional reactions.
- Ablation of zones 24 and 32: leads to docility and reduction of social contacts.
- Bilateral prefrontal cortex lesion: produces an immediate reduction in intellectual capacity and ethical standards.
prefrontal syndrome
Prefrontal syndrome is described as a pathology characterized by inappropriate responses to social situations, disinhibition, impulsivity, lack of initiative, reduced flexibility, inability to plan programs for the future, lower capacity for argumentation, and difficulty carrying out complex behaviors. In particular, modifications of the emotional tone can be associated, characterized by a lower emotional reaction, a greater one or a poor regulation of one’s own emotional expressions.
More recently, prefrontal syndrome has been divided into three fundamental types related to different anatomopathological lesions. The types of prefrontal syndrome are:
- Dysexecutive type: decreases capacity for judgment, planning and perception.
- uninhibited type: causes disinhibited behavior with poor impulse control and inhibitory brakes and also leads to irritability.
- Apathetic type: produces less spontaneity, less verbal productivity and less motor behavior.
Finally, you can watch the following video that talks about the prefrontal cortex.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
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- Tiengo, MA (2001). The perception of pain: rotation of the frontal cortex. Milan: Springer-Verlag.