Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 25, 2025
13:08
Measurement of Fronto-limbic Activity Using an Emotional Oddball Task in Children with Familial High Risk for Schizophrenia
Published on: December 2, 2015
9.1K
Taking stock of value in the orbitofrontal cortex
Eric B Knudsen1, Joni D Wallis2
1Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA.
Nature Reviews. Neuroscience
|April 26, 2022
Summary
Damage to the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) impairs decision-making. Recent findings suggest the OFC
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) damage specifically impacts decision-making abilities.
- OFC neurons exhibit firing patterns proportional to anticipated outcome values.
- A dominant view posits the OFC's primary role in guiding optimal decisions via value signaling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically evaluate two competing accounts of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) function.
- To explore the OFC's potential broader role in cognitive processes beyond value signaling.
- To examine how these differing perspectives on OFC function might be reconciled.
Main Methods:
- Review of neurophysiological studies on orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) neuron activity.
- Analysis of clinical data from individuals with OFC damage.
- Critical evaluation of existing theoretical frameworks for OFC function.
Main Results:
- Traditional view: OFC guides decisions by signaling outcome values.
- Emerging view: OFC represents cognitive maps for broader behavioral control.
- Value is considered one of several variables influencing behavior.
Conclusions:
- The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) may play a more extensive role in cognition than previously thought.
- Reconciliation of value-based and cognitive map theories is necessary.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the multifaceted functions of the OFC.
More Related Videos
09:00Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex
Published on: April 15, 2015
12.4K
09:14Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: March 14, 2025
367
Related Concept Videos
01:21Association Areas of the Cortex
6.5K
Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
6.5K
01:14Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
4.9K
The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex....
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex....
4.9K
01:22Lobes of the Cerebrum
1.3K
The cerebral cortex, a critical structure of the brain, is intricately divided into two hemispheres, each consisting of four distinct lobes: occipital, temporal, frontal, and parietal. These lobes function cooperatively to regulate various cognitive and sensory functions, forming the basis of our complex neural capabilities.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements....
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements....
1.3K
01:24Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
1.1K
The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at...
1.1K
01:25Olfaction
45.3K
The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
45.3K
02:44Atomic Orbitals
37.1K
An atomic orbital represents the three-dimensional regions in an atom where an electron has the highest probability to reside. The radial distribution function indicates the total probability of finding an electron within the thin shell at a distance r from the nucleus. The atomic orbitals have distinct shapes which are determined by l, the angular momentum quantum number. The orbitals are often drawn with a boundary surface, enclosing densest regions of the cloud.
37.1K