Pre frontal cortex

Frontal lobe
Frontal lobe is an area of brain of mammals. It is located in front of each cerebral hemisphere & positioned anterior to parietal lobe & above and anterior to temporal lobes. It lies in front of central sulcus & above the posterior ramus of lateral sulcus. It forms about 1/3rd of cortical surface. On the basis of its function, it is divided into 2 main areas: pre central cortex pre frontal cortex

 Frontal lobe contains most of the dopaminesensitive neurons in the cerebral cortex. The dopamine system is associated with pleasure, long-term memory, planning & drive. Dopamine tends to limit & select sensory information arriving from the thalamus to the fore brain. A gene variant that reduces dopamine activity in the pre frontal cortex is related to poorer performance & slightly inefficient function of the brain region during working memory tasks & to slightly increased risks for Schizoprenia.

Major brodmanns areas

Area 8 frontal eye fields Area 9 dorsolateral prefrontal cortex Area 10 anterior prefrontal cortex Area 11 OFC(superior frontal gyrus & inferior rostral gyrus) Area 44 pars opercularis( part of brocas area) Area 45 pars triangularis(brocas area) Area 46 dorso lateral prefrontal cortex Area 47 inferior prefrontal gyrus

Pre frontal cortex

It is an anterior part of the frontal lobe of the brain, lying in front of motor & pre motor areas. The important components are Superior frontal gyrus, Middle frontal gyrus, & Inferior frontal gyrus. It is supplied by anterior cerebral & middle cerebral artery & superior sagittal sinus.

Pre frontal is divided into 3 basic areas

Orbitofrontal (OFC) & ventromedial areas (Vm-PFC) The Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) The Anterior & Ventral cingulate cortex
this brain region has been implicated in planning complex cognitive behaviors, personality expression, moderating correct social behaviors. The basic activity is considered to be orchestration of thoughts & actions.

Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)

The name of this region is based upon the regions location with in the frontal lobes, resting above the orbit of the eye. It is defined as a part of pre frontal cortex that receives projections from the magno-cellular, medial nucleus of the medio-dorsal thalamus.

Function of Orbitofrontal cortex

Orbitofrontal cortex is among the least understood regions of human brain, but it has been proposed that OFC is involved in sensory integration, in representing the affective value of reinforcers & in decision making & expectation. In particular, this region is thought to regulate planning behaviour associated with senstivity to reward & punishment.

Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is the last area (45th) to develop in the human cerebrum. Acc. To the broader definition, dl-PFC consist of lateral portion of brodmanns area 9-12, area 45, 46 & sup. part of area 47. Mainly receive their blood supply from the Middle cerebral artery. This area is connected to OFC, to the variety of brain areas, which thalamus, part of basal ganglia (dorsal caudate nucleus), the hippocampus & primary & secondary association areas of neocortex, including posterior temporal, parietal, & occipital areas.

Functions of dl-PFC
It serves as the highest cortical area responsible for motor planning, organization & regulation. Plays an an important role in the integration of sensory & mnemonic information. Regulation of intellectual functioning & action. it is not exclusively responsible for the executive function.

Cingulate cortex
A part of brain situated in the medial aspect of the cortex. It is extended from corpus callosum below to the cingulate sulcus above, atleast anteriorly. Based on brodmanns architectonics, has been divided into brodmanns areas 23, 24, 26, 30, 31, 32. The areas 26, 29, 30 are referred as Retrospinal areas. subdivisions are: Anterior cingulate cortex Posterior cingulate cortex Cingulum

Anterior cingulate cortex

This corresponds to area 24 of brodmann.it is cyto architectonically agranular.it has gyral part on the surface & sulcul part. ACC receives its afferent axons from the anterior nucleus of the thalamus. The nucleus anterior receives mamillo-thalamic afferences.the mamillary neurons receive axons rom subiculum. The whole forms a part of papez circuit. ACC sends axons to the anterior nucleus & thru the cingulum to the Brocas limbic areas.

Posterior cingulate cortex

This corresponds to area 23 of brodmann. It is granular. It is followed posteriorly by retrospinal cortex(area 29). Dorsally is the granular area 31. PCC receives great part of afferent axons from superficial nucleus of thalamus which itself receives axon from subiculum. To some extent it thus duplicates papez circuit.

Cingulum
At the base of cingulate cortex is the thick parasagittal bundle, the cingulum is used for the connection of the 2 subdivisions described above & with the Parahippocampal gyrus.

Connections of pre frontal cortex

Afferents to pre frontal cortex come from: Dorsomedial nucleus of thalamus project on to area 9-12 on the lateral & adjacent medial surface & areas 44-47 in the inferior frontal gyrus. Since the dorsomedial nucleus of the thalamus,receives afferents from posterior hypothalamus . Anterior nuclei of thalamus project on to cingulate gyrus (area 23, 24, 29, 32). Efferents from pre frontal cortex go to: Thalamus: fibres from area 9&10 go to ventral & medial thalamic nuclei. Tegmental reticular formation: fibres from area 9&10 go to reticular formation in the tegmentum. Pontine nuclei: fibres from area 10 pass to the pontine nuclei & hence to the cerebellum. Caudate nucleus: the inhibitory area 8 & 2, 4, 5 discharge to the caudate nucleus. Mammillary bodies: fibres from area13, the hippocampus, uncus & amygdala project via the fornix to the mammillary bodies of the hypothalamus.

Functions of pre frontal cortex

Centre for planned actions, Centre for higher fuctions like emotions, learning, memory & social behaviour. Seat for intelligence:short-term memories are registered in pre frontal cortex. Has an ability to keep track of many bits of info.(an organ of mind) Control of intellectual activities:
To plan the future,

 Allow a person to concentrate on central theme of

thought. Helps in depth & abstractness of thought. Allow to delay action in response to incomung sensory signals so that sensory info. can be weighed until the best response is obtained. It allows to consider the consequence of motor actions before their performance. Plays role in solution of complicated mathematical, legal & philosophical prroblems. To control ones activity according to the moral laws.