Functional organization of the medial frontal cortex.
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and adjacent areas of the medial frontal cortex (MFC) have been implicated in monitoring behaviour and in detecting errors. Recent evidence, however, suggests that the ACC not only registers the occurrence of errors but also represents other aspects of the reinforcement history that are crucial for guiding behaviour. Other studies raise the possibility that dorsal MFC areas not only monitor behaviour but also actually control response selection, particularly when the task in hand is changing. Many decisions are made in social contexts and their chances of success depend on what other individuals are doing. Evaluation of other individuals is therefore crucial for effective action selection, and some ACC regions are implicated in this process.
Rushworth
Matthew F S
MF
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3UD, UK. matthew.rushworth@psy.ox.ac.uk
Buckley
Mark J
MJ
Behrens
Timothy E J
TE
Walton
Mark E
ME
Bannerman
David M
DM
D000818:Animals; D001519:Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology