What is the function of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex or vmPFC?

Situated in the medial portion of the prefrontal cortex, the highly interconnected vmPFC serves as a region for binding together the large-scale networks that subserve emotional processing, decision-making, memory, self-perception, and social cognition in general.

Is the Vmpfc in the OFC?

Based on cytoarchitectonics and connectivity, ventral prefrontal cortex appears to be segregated into two differentiable circuits: medial [ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC)], and orbital [orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)].

What role does the ventromedial prefrontal cortex vmPFC play in the regulation of conditioned fear responses?

The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), encompassing the rostral anterior cingulate cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, subgenual cingulate cortex, and orbitofrontal cortex, has been shown to play a key role in the extinction of conditioned fear responses, and importantly, in the maintenance of fear extinction over …

What is the ventromedial cortex?

The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is a part of the prefrontal cortex in the brain. The ventral medial prefrontal is located in the frontal lobe at the bottom of the cerebral hemispheres and is implicated in the processing of risk and fear.

Does the vmPFC inhibit the amygdala?

Under normal conditions of fear suppression, the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is activated and inhibits amygdala output (filled arrow). This dominance of the mPFC results in less freezing in response to a conditioned stimulus (CS; i.e., extinction).

Is the amygdala in the vmPFC?

The two core neural systems that will be considered in this paper are the amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). The term ‘amygdala’ was first used by Burdach (1819–1822) to describe an almond-shaped mass of grey matter in the anterior portion of the human temporal lobe.

What is the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex?

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is a region of the frontal lobes that is most typically associated with executive functions including working memory and selective attention (Curtis & D’Esposito, 2003).