Ventromedial prefrontal cortex
From Wikipedia
| Brain: Ventromedial prefrontal cortex | ||
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| Ventromedial prefrontal cortex shown on medial and ventral views of the brain, reflecting approximate location of damage in patients with decision making deficits.[1]. | ||
| Medial surface of the brain with Brodmann's areas numbered. |
The ventromedial prefrontal cortex is a part of the prefrontal cortex in the mammalian brain. The ventral medial prefrontal is located in the frontal lobe and is implicated in the processing of risk and fear, and in decision making.
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Anatomy
The ventromedial prefrontal cortex has been described as equivalent to Brodmann area 10.[2] However, not all sources agree on the boundaries of the area.
To get a rough idea of where the ventromedial prefrontal cortex is, recall that the left and right hemispheres of the brain are separated (by the longitudinal cerebral fissure.) Now imagine you could take your hand and starting at the anterior brain (where your forehead is) insert it into this gap until you reached the insula (a structure that is beneath the frontal lobe.) Your palm would be touching a part of the prefrontal cortex, which is in the front part of the brain and the lower part of your palm would be touching the ventral medial prefrontal cortex.
Note that different researchers use the term 'Ventromedial prefrontal cortex' differently. Sometimes, the term is saved for the area above the medial orbitofrontal cortex, while at other times, 'ventromedial prefrontal cortex' is used to describe a broad area in the lower (ventral) central (medial) region of the prefrontal cortex, of which the medial orbitofrontal cortex constitutes the lower-most part. This latter, broader area corresponds to the area damaged in patients with decision-making impairments investigated by António Damásio and colleagues (see diagram, and below).
Function
As of yet, functional differences between the orbitofrontal and ventromedial areas of the pre-frontal cortex are not clearly established, although the areas of the ventromedial cortex superior to the orbitofrontal cortex are much less associated with social functions and more with pure emotion regulation. Research in developmental psychology also suggested that neural networks in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex are rapidly developing during adolescence and young adulthood supporting emotion regulation through the amygdala being associated with a decrease in cortisol levels.
Left lateral and medial orbitofrontal cortex areas were also measured to be highly active during guessing tasks. An increase in probabilistic scenario complexity was associated with orbitofrontal cortex activity level increase, therefore suggesting the special role that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex plays in decision making containing uncertainty. A study also indicated that patients with lesions in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex tend to have difficulties reacting to future consequences.
The right half of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex was associated with regulating the interaction of cognition and affect in the production of empathic responses. Hedonic (pleasure) responses were also associations to orbitofrontal cortex activity level by Morton Kringelbach. This finding contributes findings suggesting ventromedial prefrontal cortex being associated with preference judgement, possibly assigning the ventromedial prefrontal cortex a key role in constructing one's self. Studies with PTSD also supported the idea that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex is an important component for reactivating past emotional associations and events, therefore essentially mediating pathogenesis of PTSD. Treatments geared to the inhibition of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex were therefore suggested for PTSD. The right half of the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, being active during emotion regulation, was activated when participants were offered an unfair offer in a scenario.
One particularly notable theory of VMPFC function is the somatic marker hypothesis, accredited to António Damásio. By this hypothesis, the VMPFC has a central role in adapting somatic markers - emotional associations, or associations between mental objects and visceral (bodily) feedback - for use in natural decision making. This account also gives the VMPFC a role in moderating emotions and emotional reactions.
Ventromedial prefrontal cortex lesions were also associated with a deficit in processing gender specific social cues.
References
- ↑ Bechara, A; Damasio, H; Tranel, D; & Anderson, SW; (1998). [Expression error: Missing operand for > "Dissociation Of Working Memory from Decision Making within the Human Prefrontal Cortex"]. Journal of Neuroscience 18: 428–437.
- ↑ Finger EC, Marsh AA, Mitchell DG, et al. (May 2008). "Abnormal ventromedial prefrontal cortex function in children with psychopathic traits during reversal learning". Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 65 (5): 586–94. doi:. PMID 18458210. http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=18458210.
External links
- The Brain from Top to Bottom: Brain Abnormalities Associated With Anxiety Disorders
- Characterization of the decision-making deficit of patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex lesions PMID 11050020
- The role of ventromedial prefrontal cortex in the recovery of extinguished fear. PMID 10934272
- Scientists Draw Link Between Morality And Brain's Wiring
- Brain Injury Said to Affect Moral Choices
- Characterization of Empathy Deficits following Prefrontal Brain Damage: The Role of the Right Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex
- Adolescents' performance on the Iowa Gambling Task: Implications for the development of decision making and ventromedial prefrontal cortex
- Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Mediates Guessing
- Intensity to Future Consequences Following Damage to Human Prefrontal Cortex
- Amygdala and Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Are Inversely Coupled during Regulation of Negative Affect and Predict the Diurnal Pattern of Cortisol Secretion among Older Adults
- Ventromedial prefrontal cortex activation is critical for preference judgments
- Brain Activity in Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Correlates with Individual Differences in Negative Affect
- The Sunny Side of Fairness: Preference for Fairness Activates Reward Circuitry (and Disregarding Unfairness Activates Self-Control Circuitry)
- The Orbitofrontal Cortex: Linking Reward to Hedonic Experience
- Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Lesions in Humans Eliminate Implicit Gender Stereotyping
- Focal Brain Damage Protects Against Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Combat Veterans
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