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Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex

The Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC or DL-PFC) is an area in the primate brain. Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DL-PFC) is one of the most evolved parts of the human brain. It undergoes an extremely prolonged period of maturation and is not fully mature until adulthood. The human brain can be classified into two regions: Cerebral Cortex, the outermost layer of the brain, and Subcortical Layers that are buried deep inside. DL-PFC is a subcortical region in the brain.Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex falls in the region called Prefrontal Cortex. The Prefrontal Cortex contains neurons that are responsible for registering the sensory cue, in holding it "on line," and in releasing the motor responses in the course of task performance.The collections of selective cells form Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex. DL-PFC is believed to exist starting at the Brodmann Area 10 to 8. Moreover, Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex is the end point for the Dorsal Pathway (Stream) that tells the brain how to interact with the stimuli and Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex is the end point of the Ventral Pathway (Stream) that brings information about the stimuli’s attributes.

Primary Functions
The formation of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex by clustering of spatial selective neurons gives it a neural circuitry that encompasses the entire range of sub-functions necessary to carry out an integrated response: sensory input, retention in short-term memory, and motor signaling. Historically Dorsolateral Prefrontal cortex is defined by its connection to: superior temporal cortex, posterior parietal cortex, anterior and posterior cingulate, premotor cortex, retrosplenial cortex, and Neocerebellum. These vast connections to other parts of the brains allows it to modulate the activity of those regions and as well receive information from, and be modulated by these regions. . Dorsolateral Prefrontal cortex is primarily known for its involvement in the A-not-B/ delayed response task. Because, this task requires holding the information in mind (working memory), Scientists believe that DLPFC is also involved in the storage of working memory. In a research involving study of A-not-B task with adult macaques, it was concluded that lesions that destroy DLPFC disrupt the macaques’ performance of the task. Likewise, it was found that lesions to other brain parts didn’t impart the A-not-B task.

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex is, however, not required for the memory of a single item; thus, recognition memory is unimpaired even after damage to the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex. However, if two items must be compared in the memory then involvement of Dorsolateral Pre-Frontal Cortex is required. For example, after awhile people with damaged dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were not able to identify a picture they had seen when they were given to choose from two pictures. Moreover, these subjects also fail in Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test. This is because the patients loose track of the currently correct rule and persistently organize their cards in the previously correct rule. Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex is not active when one is asleep as it is a part that deals with waking thought and reality testing. .

Decision Making
DLPFC is involved in both risky and moral decision making; for example, when individuals are faced with moral decisions like how to distribute limited resource, DLPFC is activated . This region is also active when costs and benefits of alternative choices are of interests. Similarly, when options for choosing alternatives is present, DLPFC evokes preference towards most utility or equality and suppresses temptation to maximizing personal gain.

Social Adaptation
The Right DLPFC in conjunction with temporo-parietal junction establishes the capacity for individuals to adopt the perspective of someone else. This facilitates cooperation and reciprocation.

A study conducted to monitor activation of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex through administration of a trust game concluded that: activation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may represent the attempt to suppress selfish behavior and consider the possibility of acting cooperatively whereas activation of the left temporo-parietal junction may represent attempts to infer the intentions of other people. Also, it was concluded that activation of the anterior medial prefrontal cortex was elevated, especially in younger adolescents, when they decided to act selfishly and not reciprocate.

Relation to Neurotransmitters
As DL-PFC goes under the long maturational changes, one change that has been attributed to DL-PFC for making early cognitive advances in the increasing level of neurotransmitter Dopamine in DL-PFC. . When the receptors of neurotransmitter Dopamine were blocked, it was seen that the adult macaques had deficit in the delayed response task, as if the whole DFPLC was taken out altogether. Similar situation was seen when the macaques were injected with MPTP injection that reduces the level of Dopamine in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Even though, there have been no physiological studies about involvement of Cholinergic Actions in sub-cortical areas, but behavioral studies indicate that neurotransmitter Acetylcholine is essential for working memory function of the DLPFC. .

Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a result of lack in activity in the frontal lobe. Especially, Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is hypoactive when a person suffers from Chorionic Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is also related to lack of Dopamine neurotransmitter in the frontal lobe.

Relationship
Damage to anterior and mid sections of the DLPFC might impede commitment in a relationship due to impaired self-efficacy.

Refrences
1.	^ Jump up to:a b c d Luciana, ed. by Charles A. Nelson; Monica (2001). Handbook of developmental cognitive neuroscience. Cambridge, Mass. [u.a.]: MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-14073-X. 2.	^ Jump up to:a b GOLDMAN-RAKIC, PATRICIA S. (17). "Architecture of the Prefrontal Cortex and the Central Executive". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 769 (1 Structure and): 71–84. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1995.tb38132.x. 3.	^ Jump up to:a b c d Luciana, ed. by Charles A. Nelson ; Monica (2001). Handbook of developmental cognitive neuroscience. Cambridge, Mass. [u.a.]: MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-14073-X. 4.	^ Jump up to:a b Goldman-Rakic, edited by Geraldine Dawson, Kurt W. Fischer ; foreword by Patricia S. (1994). Human behavior and the developing brain. New York: Guilford Press. ISBN 0898620929. 5.	^ Jump up to:a b c d Carter, Rita (1999). Mapping the mind. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0520224612. 6.	T.; Wang, M. (1 July 2013). "Nicotinic 7 receptors enhance NMDA cognitive circuits in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110 (29): 12078–12083.