Abstract

Differential functions of lateral and medial rostral prefrontal cortex (area 10) revealed by brain-behavior associations

Gilbert, S.J., Spengler, S., Simons, J.S., Frith, C.D., & Burgess, P.W. (2006). Cerebral Cortex, 16, 1783-1789.

We analyzed the behavioral data from 104 neuroimaging studiesusing positron emission tomography or functional magnetic resonanceimaging that reported activation peaks in rostral prefrontalcortex (PFC), approximating Brodmann's area 10. The distribution ofabsolute x coordinates of activation peaks (i.e., x coordinateregardless of hemisphere) differed significantly from a unimodalnormal distribution, reflecting distinct clusters of activation inlateral and medial subregions. These 2 clusters were associatedwith different patterns of behavioral data. Lateral activations wereassociated with contrasts between experimental and controlconditions where response times (RTs) were slower in theexperimental condition. Medial activations were associated withcontrasts where RTs were, if anything, faster in experimental thancontrol conditions. These findings place important constraints ontheories of rostral PFC functions.