Managing competing goals — a key role for the frontopolar cortex

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.

Dopaminergic modulation of the exploration/exploitation trade-off in human decision-making

“…Both exploration types might thus depend on similar structures tracking uncertainty. Mansouri et al (2017) recently proposed a functional model of the human FPC in which distinct subregions of the FPC play different functional roles in exploration. In this model, lateral FPC is involved in uncertainty-based exploration, which entails an online tracking of relevant choice alternatives in order to potentially re-engage one of these alternatives as replacement for the currently exploited strategy.…”

“…These findings regarding the roles of striatal and frontal DA in exploration resonate with cognitive neuroscience studies suggesting that exploration and exploitation rely on distinct neural systems. Daw et al (2006) showed that frontopolar cortex (FPC) is activated during exploratory choices, possibly facilitating behavioral switching between an exploitative and exploratory mode by overriding value-driven choice tendencies (Daw et al, 2006;Badre et al, 2012;Addicott et al, 2014;Mansouri et al, 2017). In line with this idea, up-and down-regulation of FPC excitability via transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) increases and decreases exploration during reward-based learning (Becharelle et al, 2015).…”

A common neural substrate for elevated PTSD symptoms and reduced pulse rate variability in combat‐exposed veterans

“…An inability of the vmPFC to differentially respond to threat versus safety, and corresponding autonomic inflexibility reflected in reduced PRV, may contribute to elevated threat responding in an objectively safe context. The region of vmPFC identified here corresponds to frontopolar cortex or medial BA10, a region that has expanded considerably in humans relative to nonhuman primates and which is theorized to be important for shifting attentional or executive resources away from current goals to other potential goals in the environment (Mansouri, Koechlin, Rosa, & Buckley, ). This perspective on the broad function of BA10 is not inconsistent with the flexible, context‐specific, inhibitory control function ascribed by Thayer and colleagues () to HRV.…”

Tumor necrosis factor receptor 2: A potential target for antidepressant drug development

“…18 In major depression, levels of transmembrane TNF, but not soluble TNF, were 458% higher in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, but not the anterior cingulate cortex. 19 In interpreting the significance of changes in TNFrelated pathways in the cortex of mood disorders, it is significant that the frontopolar prefrontal cortex is thought to be involved in the coordination of highlevel cognitive processes and emotional control, 39,40 the anterior cingulate cortex is involved in emotional regulation and processing 41 and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is associated with cognition, executive function and regulation of negative emotions. 42 Notably, the frontopolar prefrontal cortex, [43][44][45] anterior cingulate cortex 41,46,47 and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex [46][47][48] have all been reported to be dysfunctional in patients with mood disorders.…”