Not so "silent": The human prefrontal cortex

Little was known about the human prefrontal cortex till recently. It was thus labeled as the "silent area," "uncommitted cortex." It not only constitutes the largest component of the human brain but is the latest evolutionary addition to the mammalian brain. It endows the human beings with qualities that differentiate humans from all other animals. During the last couple of decades the advent of modern electrophysiological and imaging (functional magnetic resonance imaging, proton emission tomography, SPECT) techniques have provided a wealth of insight into its role in memory, thought, emotions, moral judgment, social behavior, evaluating rewards, and assessing its fairness or otherwise and above all self-awareness. This brief review summarize the recent significant observations on its functions and connectivity which would interest the cognitive scientists and clinicians alike.