Abstract
Humans are set apart from other animals by many elements of advanced cognition and behaviour, including language, judgement and reasoning. What is special about the human brain that gives rise to these abilities? Could the foremost part of the prefrontal cortex (the frontopolar cortex), which has become considerably enlarged in humans during evolution compared with other animals, be important in this regard, especially as, in primates, it contains a unique cytoarchitectural field, area 10? The first studies of the function of the frontopolar cortex in monkeys have now provided critical new insights about its precise role in monitoring the significance of current and alternative goals. In human evolution, the frontopolar cortex may have acquired a further role in enabling the monitoring of the significance of multiple goals in parallel, as well as switching between them. Here, we argue that many other forms of uniquely human behaviour may benefit from this cognitive ability mediated by the frontopolar cortex.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 645-657 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Nature Reviews Neuroscience |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 2017 |
Keywords
- cognitive neuroscience
- human behaviour
- prefrontal cortex
Cite this
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Managing competing goals - A key role for the frontopolar cortex. / Mansouri, Farshad Alizadeh; Koechlin, Etienne; Rosa, Marcello G. P.; Buckley, Mark J.
In: Nature Reviews Neuroscience, Vol. 18, No. 11, 11.2017, p. 645-657.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Managing competing goals - A key role for the frontopolar cortex
AU - Mansouri, Farshad Alizadeh
AU - Koechlin, Etienne
AU - Rosa, Marcello G. P.
AU - Buckley, Mark J.
PY - 2017/11
Y1 - 2017/11
N2 - Humans are set apart from other animals by many elements of advanced cognition and behaviour, including language, judgement and reasoning. What is special about the human brain that gives rise to these abilities? Could the foremost part of the prefrontal cortex (the frontopolar cortex), which has become considerably enlarged in humans during evolution compared with other animals, be important in this regard, especially as, in primates, it contains a unique cytoarchitectural field, area 10? The first studies of the function of the frontopolar cortex in monkeys have now provided critical new insights about its precise role in monitoring the significance of current and alternative goals. In human evolution, the frontopolar cortex may have acquired a further role in enabling the monitoring of the significance of multiple goals in parallel, as well as switching between them. Here, we argue that many other forms of uniquely human behaviour may benefit from this cognitive ability mediated by the frontopolar cortex.
AB - Humans are set apart from other animals by many elements of advanced cognition and behaviour, including language, judgement and reasoning. What is special about the human brain that gives rise to these abilities? Could the foremost part of the prefrontal cortex (the frontopolar cortex), which has become considerably enlarged in humans during evolution compared with other animals, be important in this regard, especially as, in primates, it contains a unique cytoarchitectural field, area 10? The first studies of the function of the frontopolar cortex in monkeys have now provided critical new insights about its precise role in monitoring the significance of current and alternative goals. In human evolution, the frontopolar cortex may have acquired a further role in enabling the monitoring of the significance of multiple goals in parallel, as well as switching between them. Here, we argue that many other forms of uniquely human behaviour may benefit from this cognitive ability mediated by the frontopolar cortex.
KW - cognitive neuroscience
KW - human behaviour
KW - prefrontal cortex
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85031743369&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/nrn.2017.111
DO - 10.1038/nrn.2017.111
M3 - Review Article
C2 - 28951610
AN - SCOPUS:85031743369
VL - 18
SP - 645
EP - 657
JO - Nature Reviews Neuroscience
JF - Nature Reviews Neuroscience
SN - 1471-003X
IS - 11
ER -