Orbitofrontal cortex
The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is a prefrontal cortex region in the frontal lobes of the brain which is involved in the cognitive process of decision-making. In non-human primates it consists of the association cortex areas Brodmann area 11, 12 and 13; in humans it consists of Brodmann area 10, 11 and 47.
| Orbitofrontal cortex | |
|---|---|
Approximate location of the OFC shown on a sagittal MRI | |
Orbital surface of left frontal lobe. | |
| Details | |
| Part of | Frontal lobe |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | cortex orbitofrontalis |
| NeuroNames | 91 |
| NeuroLex ID | birnlex_1049 |
| FMA | 242003 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy | |
The OFC is functionally related to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Therefore, the region is distinguished due to the distinct neural connections and the distinct functions it performs. It is defined as the part of the prefrontal cortex that receives projections from the medial dorsal nucleus of the thalamus, and is thought to represent emotion, taste, smell and reward in decision making. It gets its name from its position immediately above the orbits in which the eyes are located. Considerable individual variability has been found in the OFC of humans. A related area is found in rodents.