Prefrontal Cortex :: Neurology Brain Medical Essays

Prefrontal CortexThe prefrontal cerebral mantle is the most front tooth portion of the frontal lobe. It responds mostly to stimuli signaling the need for movement, however it is similarly responsible for many other specialized functions. It receives information from all sensory systems and croupe integrate a large amount of information (Kalat 2004).Studies know shown that the prefrontal cortex is responsible for working memory. Working memory is delimitate as the information that is currently available in memory for working on a problem (Anderson 2005). The prefrontal cortex (PFC) also controls styles that wager on context (Kalat 2004). For example, if my cell phone rings when I am at the mall or grocery store I would coif it. If it rings while I am at the movies or in class I wouldnt answer it. People with frontal lobe damage a good deal exhibit inappropriate behaviors due to the inability to recognize context. opposite studies designate that the PFC is also res ponsible for regulating emotions and decision-making. A study was conducted in which participants were presented with three dilemmas. One dilemma was called the Trolley Dilemma a aerial tramway is headed toward five people standing on the track. You can switch the aerial tramway to another track killing only one person kind of of five. Subjects were asked to decide between right and wrong. Brain scans of the participants show that contemplating the dilemmas activates the prefrontal cortex and other areas that respond to emotion (Kalat 2004).Sustaining a lesion to the prefrontal cortex produces a wide variety of side effects. The effects range from minor to severe. You can get a lesion by head trauma or cerebrovascular accident (CJ Long 2005). Possible deficits associated with minor lesions of the prefrontal cortex- Inability to respond quickly to verbal instructions- Speech dysfluency- Disturbances in understanding composite plant pictures or words- Difficulties with pr oblem-solving- Deficits in complex tasks requiring inhibition of habitual behavior patternsWith more extensive lesions the person experiences greater behavior deficits. These deficits include perseveration, which is the inability to make behavioral shifts in attention, movement and attitude, decreased creativity, poor think back of verbal and nonverbal material, impediment writing, and deficits in comprehension of logical-grammatical constructions (CJ Long 2005).Other effects of extensive lesions- easily distracted- disturbances in memory- defects in time sense- decreased anxiety - less critical of oneself- difficulty with unfamiliar analogies- impulsivity