Question

Describe the three routes of anatomical connectivity of the prefrontal lobes to the rest of the brain?

Answer 1

Prefrontal Lobe (Three routes)-

1. DORSOLATERAL PREFRONTAL CORTEX.
2. ORBITOFRONTAL PREFRONTAL CORTEX
3. VENTROMEDIAL PREFRONTAL CORTEX.

1-DORSOLATERAL PREFRONTAL CORTEX(DLPFC)-It is an area in the prefrontal cortex of the brain of humans and non human primates.It is one of the most recently derived parts of the human brain.It is undergoes a prolonged period of maturation which lasts until adulthood.

Anatomical Connection-

The DLPFC has connection with orbitofrontal cortex as well as the thalamus,parts of the basal ganglia (specially dorsal caudate nucleus),the hippocampus and primary & secondry associated area including temporal,parietal and occipital area.The DLPFC also the end point for the dorsal pathway(stream).

2-ORBITOFRONTAL PREFRONTAL CORTEX- It is a prefrontal cortex region in the frontal lobes of the brain which involved in the cognitive process of decision making.

Anatomical Connections-

It is highly interconnected with sensory regions, notable receiving direct input from the pyriform cortex.The caudal orbitofrontal is also most heavily interconnected with the amygdala.Laterally interconnected with prefrontal vortex and parahippocampus.The medial and orbital network are some times referred to as the visceromotor network and sensory network respectively.

3- VENTROMEDIAL PREFRONTAL CORTEX. It is used to describe a broad area in the lower(ventral),central(medial) region of the prefrontal cortex,of which is the medial orbitofrontal cortex constitutes the lowermost part.

Anatomical connections-

The ventromedial prefrontal cortex is connected to and receive from the ventral tegmental area,amygdala,temporal lobe,the olfactory system and dosromedial thalamus.It,in turn,sends signal to many different brain regions including Cingular cortex.