Pre-frontal cortex
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the front part of the frontal lobes of the brain. It lies in front of the motor and premotor areas.
| Brain: Prefrontal cortex | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| Brodmann areas of lateral surface. Per BrainInfo, parts of #8, #9, #10, #11, #44, #45, #46, and #47 are all in the prefrontal region. | ||
| Latin | Cortex praefrontalis | |
This brain region helps plan complex cognitive behaviours, personality expression, and decision making. It helps correct social behaviour.[1] The basic activity of this brain region is to bring together thoughts and actions to help achieve internal goals.[2]
The most typical psychological term for functions carried out by the prefrontal cortex area is executive function. This is the ability to work out conflicting thoughts. It determines good and bad, better and best, same and different, consequences of current activities, working toward a goal, prediction of outcomes, and expectation of results. Critical is 'social control': the ability to suppress urges which, if not suppressed, could lead to socially unacceptable outcomes.
Many authors have indicated an integral link between a person's personality and the functions of the prefrontal cortex.[3]
References
- ↑ Yang Y, Raine A (November 2009). "Prefrontal structural and functional brain imaging findings in antisocial, violent, and psychopathic individuals: a meta-analysis". Psychiatry Research. 174 (2): 81–8. doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2009.03.012. PMC 2784035. PMID 19833485.
- ↑ Miller EK, Freedman DJ, Wallis JD (August 2002). "The prefrontal cortex: categories, concepts and cognition". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. 357 (1424): 1123–36. doi:10.1098/rstb.2002.1099. PMC 1693009. PMID 12217179.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ DeYoung C.G.; et al. (2010). "Testing predictions from personality neuroscience". Psychological Science. 21 (6): 820–828. doi:10.1177/0956797610370159. PMC 3049165. PMID 20435951.