Medial frontal cortex and subjective control of behavior

The role of the cortex at the medial aspect of the frontal lobe for subjective control of behaviour has been elaborated in recent years. As apparent from meta-analyses of functional imaging studies, the medial frontal cortex accommodates critical nodes in a caudo-rostral gradient that are involved in valuation of sensorimotor, empathic and abstract information. Brain electric activity was found to be changed in the medial frontal cortex as early as 120 ms after stimulus presentation in relation to modulation of perception. These functions become established during adolescence mediating subjective perspective taking in the social context. Most likely they are brought about by dedicated neurons of the mirror neuron system but subcortical connections make relations to the reward system possible as well. While lesions of the medial frontal cortex as in brain infarction and brain tumours are rare, impairments of medial frontal cortex functions occur quite frequently in neurological, psychiatric and psychosomatic disorders. Essentially, the medial frontal cortex is closely connected to the concept of personality opening an approach for an interdisciplinary scientific discourse.