One of the three main sub-divisions of the frontal cortex (see figure below) encompassing Brodmann’s areas 9-12, 47 and 48, with afferences from areas 7, 10 and 46 as well as from the dorsal thalamus, the parafasicular area of the thalamus, substantial nigra, medial pars compacta, dorsal raphe and the periacueductal (‘central’) gray substance. This part of the prefrontal cortex projects directly to the superior colliculus that has an important role in the control of eye and head movements. Functional neuroimaging in humans and lesions of the mid-DLPFC in monkeys have revealed it to play a role in visual working memory. It also has inhibitory functions such as inhibition of the go response in the go/no-go task and of cognitive set during performance of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task. More recent evidence suggests that it might be a part of the neural substrate regulating the sensation of fatigue. Damage to the DLPFC is considered to give rise to schizophrenic disorders and depression.
