Pre-frontal cortex facts for kids
| Brain: Prefrontal cortex | ||
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Quick facts for kids
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| Brodmann areas of lateral surface. Per BrainInfo, parts of #8, #9, #10, #11, #44, #45, #46, and #47 are all in the prefrontal region. | ||
| Latin | Cortex praefrontalis | |
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a key part of the frontal lobes of your brain. It sits right at the front, just ahead of the areas that control movement.
This brain area helps you with many important tasks. It helps you plan what to do, express your personality, and make good decisions. It also guides you to behave in ways that are socially acceptable. Basically, the prefrontal cortex connects your thoughts with your actions to help you reach your goals.
What is Executive Function?
The main job of the prefrontal cortex is often called executive function. Think of it like the CEO of your brain! It helps you manage different thoughts and decide what's important.
This part of the brain helps you:
- Figure out what is good or bad.
- Choose between different options.
- See how things are similar or different.
- Understand the consequences of your actions.
- Work towards a goal.
- Guess what might happen next.
A very important part of executive function is 'social control'. This means the prefrontal cortex helps you stop yourself from doing things that might not be okay in social situations. It helps you control your impulses.
Prefrontal Cortex and Personality
Many experts believe there is a strong connection between your personality and how well your prefrontal cortex works. This brain area plays a big role in shaping who you are and how you act.
Images for kids
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Lebedev et al. experiment that showed how the prefrontal cortex handles attention and spatial memory.
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Animation showing the prefrontal cortex (in red) on the left side of the cerebral hemisphere.
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A front view of the prefrontal cortex.
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A side view of the prefrontal cortex.
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A view of the prefrontal cortex from the middle of the brain.
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See also
In Spanish: Corteza prefrontal para niños
