prefrontal cortex

noun

|Updated on: 2 Aug 2018

Definition of prefrontal cortex

: the gray matter of the anterior part of the frontal lobe that is highly developed in humans and plays a role in the regulation of complex cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning

Recent Examples of prefrontal cortex from the Web

Connections with the prefrontal cortex, which are essential for quieting the amygdala, also undergo altered development following parental deprivation.

— dylan gee, Vox, "I study kids who were separated from their parents. The trauma could change their brains forever.," 20 June 2018
Drug addicts also often have a listless prefrontal cortex.

— ferris jabr, Scientific American, "How the Brain Gets Addicted to Gambling," 14 May 2018
When the active mechanism is in play, networks in the anterior prefrontal cortex are activated.

— nicola ballhausen, Scientific American, "Foresee and Forget: How to Remember the Future," 7 Mar. 2018
The program was founded on studies suggesting that the prefrontal cortex of the brain in young adults is not fully developed, causing some people to commit crimes without fully processing the gravity of their actions.

— lauren hernandez, SFChronicle.com, "Graduates of Young Adult Court in SF get second chance to beat the odds," 28 June 2018
Researchers have long known that ketamine, a sedative that produces a trance-like state and is widely used as a party drug, promotes the growth of neurites in the prefrontal cortex.

— melissa healy, latimes.com, "Psychedelic drugs change brain cells in ways that could help fight depression, addiction and more," 12 June 2018
The part responsible for self-inhibition and control, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, is blue.

— sandee lamotte, CNN, "Jazz improv and your brain: The key to creativity?," 29 Apr. 2018
At the same time, the part of the brain responsible for self-inhibition and control, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, became dormant.

— sandee lamotte, CNN, "Jazz improv and your brain: The key to creativity?," 29 Apr. 2018
Adults think with the prefrontal cortex, the brain's rational part.

— Fox News, "Rove, Gingrich, Baier and Hume pay tribute to Barbara Bush," 19 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'prefrontal cortex.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of prefrontal cortex

1900

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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