NIH Neuroscience Seminar Series
May 25, 2007
Alvaro Pascual-Leone gave a lecture at the NIH Neuroscience Seminar Series on the role of the lateral prefrontal cortex , particularly the right lateral prefrontal cortex, in decision making. The lecture describes a novel framework that extends insights from dual-process models in social neuroscience and applies them to decision making across diverse contexts. Data from the literature, including imaging, neuropsychological, neurophysiologic, and lesion studies in humans as well as animal models, support the notion that the lateral prefrontal cortex, particularly the right lateral prefrontal cortex is a crucial node controlling the switch between reflexic and reflective modes of operation, specifically suppressing reflexic processes and allowing for reflective processes to guide decisions and behavior. This realization has implications for the understanding of the pathophysiology of a variety of condition, including depression, mania, addictive behavior, or obesity. Furthermore, the proposed framework suggests translational applications of neuromodulation and behavioral therapy with potential therapeutic benefit in such conditions. A video of the lecture can be viewed at: http://videocast.nih.gov/PastEvents.asp?c=16