Chapter 4 Prefrontal cortex in relation to other cortical areas in rhesus monkey: Architecture and connections

Abstract

This chapter examines the architecture and connections of the frontal lobe. The frontal lobe has connections with several different cortical and subcortical regions. The chapter focuses on the role of cortical connections and discusses about thalamic connections. The adaptation of organisms to increasingly complex conditions is reflected in concomitant morphological features of the brain and of the frontal lobe in particular. During evolution, the frontal lobe has undergone marked increases in relative size and complexity, reaching its highest levels in primates. These changes are expressed in terms of cellular architecture and connectional organization. The concept of the dual origin of the cerebral cortex begins with the proposition that there are two prime moieties from which all cortical regions have evolved—the archicortical (or hippocampal) and the paleocortical (or olfactory). The dual organizational trends with sequential progression from the rudimentary cortices toward highly developed frontal regions may provide a framework for further experimental studies. Based on anatomical, physiological, and behavioral studies, there are two cortical visual systems: a (1) ventral system engaged in object analysis and (2) a dorsal system involved in visuospatial function.