prefrontal cortex
noun
: the gray matter of the anterior part of the frontal lobe that is highly developed in humans and plays a role in the regulation of complex cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning
Examples of prefrontal cortex in a Sentence
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Both exercise groups tended to show less loss of brain volume over 12 months, including in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, personality, and executive function.
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Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Reframing has been shown to change activation in the amygdala and free resources for deliberate thought in the prefrontal cortex.
—Katharina Schmidt, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
And panicking diverts resources from our thinking zone – the prefrontal cortex – to the fight, flight, or freeze zone at the base of the brain.
—Shani Harmon, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Rigid thinkers tend to have lower levels of dopamine in their prefrontal cortex and higher levels of dopamine in their striatum, a key midbrain structure in our reward system that controls our rapid instincts.
—Matt Richtel, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
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Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Reframing has been shown to change activation in the amygdala and free resources for deliberate thought in the prefrontal cortex.
—Katharina Schmidt, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
And panicking diverts resources from our thinking zone – the prefrontal cortex – to the fight, flight, or freeze zone at the base of the brain.
—Shani Harmon, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Rigid thinkers tend to have lower levels of dopamine in their prefrontal cortex and higher levels of dopamine in their striatum, a key midbrain structure in our reward system that controls our rapid instincts.
—Matt Richtel, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prefrontal cortex
Cite this Entry
“Prefrontal cortex.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prefrontal%20cortex. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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