Exploring symptomatology and innovative treatment modalities for prefrontal cortex lesions: a systematic review

Pre-frontal cortex operates a combination of emotional, cognitive and behavioural functions. Understanding the symptoms of pre-frontal cortex lesions serves as paramount for accurate diagnosis and management.

This review aims to determine an association between the causes of prefrontal cortex lesions and the resulting symptoms, as well as the ideal form of treatment.

A systematic review through utilisation of 3 databases was done using the keywords "Prefrontal cortex lesions," "dysfunction," "symptoms," &" treatment".

RCTs, observational studies, and systematic reviews were searched using Cochrane/EMBASE, PubMed/Medline, and Pedro between 1948 and2024. Studies published in English only were included, and two reviewers were involved in the data extraction process.

Results showed a notable correlation between right-handed individuals and prefrontal cortex lesions with cognition impairment, particularly executive dysfunction, being the most prevalent symptom. Emotional instability followed as the second most common issue, while aphasia remained the primary language deficit. Noninvasive brain stimulation emerged as an effective treatment option for various prefrontal cortex-related disorders.

Further investigation is needed to understand the mechanism linking handedness to lesion occurrence. Noninvasive brain stimulation should be prioritised for treating prefrontal injuries.