Anterior prefrontal cortex: insights into function from anatomy and neuroimaging

The anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC), or Brodmann area 10, is one of the least well understood regions of the human brain. Work with non-human primates has provided almost no indications as to the function of this area. In recent years, investigators have attempted to integrate findings from functional neuroimaging studies in humans to generate models that might describe the contribution that this area makes to cognition. In all cases, however, such explanations are either too tied to a given task to be plausible or too general to be theoretically useful. Here, we use an account that is consistent with the connectional and cellular anatomy of the aPFC to explain the key features of existing models within a common theoretical framework. The results indicate a specific role for this region in integrating the outcomes of two or more separate cognitive operations in the pursuit of a higher behavioural goal.