Cerebral Hemispheres 2
NEUROSCIENTIFICALLY CHALLENGED

NEUROSCIENCE MADE SIMPLER

Know Your Brain: Cingulate Cortex


Where is the cingulate cortex?

Cingulate cortex (in purple)

The cingulate cortex is a section of the cerebral cortex found in the medial portion of the cerebral hemispheres. In other words, to get a good view of the cingulate cortex one would have to make a slice through a brain parallel to the midline of the brain, and then look inside; the cingulate cortex is not visible from the surface of the brain. The cingulate cortex consists of the cingulate gyrus--which sits just above the corpus callosum--as well as the adjacent cingulate sulcus. It is sometimes called the limbic cortex and considered part of the limbic lobe, an area of cortex associated with emotional responses. The cingulate cortex is generally divided into anterior and posterior regions (discussed below).

What is the cingulate cortex and what does it do?

Early perspectives on the function of the cingulate cortex suggested the entire structure played an important role in emotion, but it is now thought that there are different functional specializations associated with different parts of the cingulate cortex. The most common method of dividing the structure is to split it into anterior and posterior regions; each is thought to be involved with different tasks.

The anterior cingulate cortex, or ACC, is found at the front of the cingulate cortex and wraps around the head of the corpus callosum. The ACC has connections with a variety of other brain regions, and thus the functions associated with it are diverse. There are, for example, areas of the ACC that are densely interconnected with limbic system structures like the amygdala and hypothalamus. Through these connections, the ACC is thought to be involved with a number of functions related to emotion including the regulation of overall affect, assigning emotions to internal and external stimuli, and making vocalizations associated with the expression of states or desires. The ACC also seems to contribute to the regulation of autonomic and endocrine responses, pain perception, and the selection and initiation of motor movements. Additionally, there are other areas of the ACC that are involved in various aspects of cognition ranging from decision-making to the management of social behavior.

The posterior cingulate cortex, or PCC, lies just behind the anterior cingulate. Although it is believed the PCC has important roles in cognition and affect, there is some debate as to what exactly those roles are. Neuroimaging studies indicate the PCC is active during the recall of autobiographical memories. It is also activated by emotional stimuli, and thus some have suggested it may be recruited for the recall of memories that have an emotional quality (e.g. autobiographical memories). The PCC is also considered part of the default mode network, a group of brain structures that are more active when an individual is not involved in a task that requires externally-focused attention. For example, the PCC is stimulated when someone is daydreaming or recalling memories. Some have asserted that the PCC helps to regulate the balance between internally and externally-focused attention, making it a crucial structure in awareness and attentional focus.

The connections of the cingulate cortex to other brain structures are extensive, and thus the functions of the region are varied and complex. Although there is much still to be learned about the roles of the cingulate cortex, it seems clear it makes important contributions to emotion, various types of cognition, and a number of other physiological functions.

References (in addition to linked text above):

Devinsky O, Morrell MJ, Vogt BA. Contributions of anterior cingulate cortex to behaviour. Brain. 1995 Feb;118 ( Pt 1):279-306. doi: 10.1093/brain/118.1.279. PMID: 7895011.

Leech R, Sharp DJ. The role of the posterior cingulate cortex in cognition and disease. Brain. 2014 Jan;137(Pt 1):12-32. doi: 10.1093/brain/awt162. Epub 2013 Jul 18. PMID: 23869106; PMCID: PMC3891440.

YOUR BRAIN, EXPLAINED

Sleep. Memory. Pleasure. Fear. Language. We experience these things every day, but how do our brains create them? Your Brain, Explained is a personal tour around your gray matter. Building on neuroscientist Marc Dingman’s popular YouTube series, 2-Minute Neuroscience, this is a friendly, engaging introduction to the human brain and its quirks using real-life examples and Dingman’s own, hand-drawn illustrations.

  • Reading like a collection of detective stories, Your Brain, Explained combines classic cases in the history of neurology with findings stemming from the latest techniques used to probe the brain’s secrets. - Stanley Finger, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University (St. Louis), author, Origins of Neuroscience

  • ...a highly readable and accessible introduction to the operation of the brain and current issues in neuroscience... a wonderful introduction to the field. - Frank Amthor, PhD, Professor of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, author, Neuroscience for Dummies

  • An informative, accessible and engaging book for anyone who has even the slightest interest in how the brain works, but doesn’t know where to begin. - Dean Burnett, PhD, author, Happy Brain and Idiot Brain

  • Dingman weaves classic studies with modern research into easily digestible sections, to provide an excellent primer on the rapidly advancing field of neuroscience. - Moheb Costandi, author, Neuroplasticity and 50 Human Brain Ideas You Really Need to Know

BIZARRE

This book shows a whole other side of how brains work by examining the most unusual behavior to emerge from the human brain. In it, you'll meet a woman who is afraid to take a shower because she fears her body will slip down the drain, a man who is convinced he is a cat, a woman who compulsively snacks on cigarette ashes, and many other unusual cases. As uncommon as they are, each of these cases has something important to teach us about everyday brain function.

  • Through case studies of both exceptional people as well as those with disorders, Bizarre takes us on a fascinating journey in which we learn more about what is going on in our skull. - William J. Ray, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, author, Abnormal Psychology

  • Bizarre is a collection of stories of how the brain can create zombies, cult members, extra limbs, instant musicians, and overnight accents, to name a few of the mind-scratching cases. After reading this book, you will walk away with a greater appreciation for this bizarre organ. If you are a fan of Oliver Sacks' books, you're certain to be a fan of Dingman's Bizarre. - Allison M. Wilck, PhD, Researcher and Assistant Professor of Psychology, Eastern Mennonite University

  • Dingman brings the history of neuroscience back to life and weaves in contemporary ideas seamlessly. Readers will come along for the ride of a really interesting read and accidentally learn some neuroscience along the way. - Erin Kirschmann, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology & Counseling, Immaculata University

  • A unique combination of storytelling and scientific explanation that appeals to the brain novice, the trained neuroscientist, and everyone in between. Dingman explores some of the most fascinating and mysterious expressions of human behavior in a style that is case study, dramatic novel, and introductory textbook all rolled into one. - Alison Kreisler, PhD, Neuroscience Instructor, California State University, San Marcos