Insights into Human Behavior from Lesions to the Prefrontal Cortex

Szczepanski, Sara M.; Knight, Robert T.

doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2014.08.011

Cited by 394 publications

(289 citation statements)

References 209 publications

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“…This general hypothesis concurs with the well-established role of PFC in the executive control of behavior [23] and with the time course of development of this brain structure that parallels the emergence of relevant symptoms [24]. Moreover, neuroimaging evidence already points to dysfunctions of both medial and lateral prefrontal circuits in personality disorders [25, 26].…”

supporting

confidence: 80%

Brain Stimulation Studies of Social Norm Compliance: Implications for Personality Disorders?

Ruff¹

2018

Psychopathology

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Several personality disorders involve pathological behaviors that violate social norms, commonly held expectations about what ought to be done in specific situations. These symptoms usually emerge early in development, are persistent and hard to treat, and are often ego-syntonic. Here I present some recent brain stimulation studies suggesting that pathological changes in different aspects of norm-compliant behavior reflect dysfunctions of brain circuits involving distinct prefrontal brain areas. One set of studies shows that transcranial direct current stimulation of the right lateral prefrontal cortex changes the behavioral sensitivity to social incentives for norm-compliant behavior. Crucially, social norm compliance in response to such incentives could even be increased during excitatory stimulation, demonstrating that the affected neural process is a biological prerequisite for appropriate reaction to social signals that trigger norm compliance. In another set of studies, we show that stimulation of a different (more dorsal) part of the right prefrontal cortex enhances honesty in a realistic setting where participants had the opportunity to cheat for real monetary gains. Interestingly, these stimulation-induced increases in both socially cued or purely voluntary norm compliance were not linked to changes in other aspects of decision- making (such as risk or impatience), and they did not reflect changes in beliefs about what is appropriate behavior. These results suggest that disorders of distinct brain circuits may causally underlie egosyntotic changes in norm-compliant behavior. This raises the tantalizing possibility that pathologies of norm-compliant behavior may be ameliorated by interventions targeting the function of these brain circuits.

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supporting

confidence: 80%

Brain Stimulation Studies of Social Norm Compliance: Implications for Personality Disorders?

Ruff¹

2018

Psychopathology

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“…First, one of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia is avolition, which can be framed as the reduced initiation of goal-directed behavior (131). Executive control is a form of goal-directed behavior, and the neural control systems supporting it potentially play a role in the initiation of action plans as well as supporting their execution (132), with lesion damage of the ACC and DLPFC being associated with avolition and apathy (133). Dysfunction of executive control systems is therefore plausibly related to avolition-associated negative symptoms.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neuroimaging Intermediate Phenotypes of Executive Control Dysfunction in Schizophrenia

Sutcliffe

Harneit

Tost

et al. 2016

Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging

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“…Indeed, only in recent years, has the confluence of single-unit physiology, human functional brain imaging, and advances in computational modeling made significant strides in tackling executive functions (such as working memory and decision-making) that underlie cognitively controlled flexible behavior. These higher functions critically depend on the prefrontal cortex (PFC) (Fuster 2008, Miller and Cohen 2001, Szczepanski and Knight 2014. Because impairments of the PFC and related circuits are implicated in major psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and autism (Goldman-Rakic 1994, Insel 2010,Courchesne et al 2011, the newly acquired insights and computational models offer an opportunity to elucidate how cellular and circuit level pathologies give rise to cognitive deficits observed in mental illness, advances in this direction could inform studies of psychiatric diagnosis, pathophysiology and treatment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Computational Psychiatry

2016

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Psychiatric disorders such as autism and schizophrenia arise from abnormalities in brain systems that underlie cognitive, emotional and social functions. The brain is enormously complex and its abundant feedback loops on multiple scales preclude intuitive explication of circuit functions. In close interplay with experiments, theory and computational modeling are essential for understanding how, precisely, neural circuits generate flexible behaviors and their impairments give rise to psychiatric symptoms. This Perspective highlights recent progress in applying computational neuroscience to the study of mental disorders. We outline basic approaches, including identification of core deficits that cut across disease categories, biologically-realistic modeling bridging cellular and synaptic mechanisms with behavior, model-aided diagnosis. The need for new research strategies in psychiatry is urgent. Computational psychiatry potentially provides powerful tools for elucidating pathophysiology that may inform both diagnosis and treatment. To achieve this promise will require investment in cross-disciplinary training and research in this nascent field. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.Neither Dr. Wang nor Dr. Krystal has any financial interests relevant to the advancement of computational psychiatry. to and engage with psychiatric research. Second, it will be important to develop a cadre of young psychiatrists who learn computational modeling, lest computational psychiatry.

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Insights into Human Behavior from Lesions to the Prefrontal Cortex

Cited by 394 publications

References 209 publications

Brain Stimulation Studies of Social Norm Compliance: Implications for Personality Disorders?

Brain Stimulation Studies of Social Norm Compliance: Implications for Personality Disorders?

Neuroimaging Intermediate Phenotypes of Executive Control Dysfunction in Schizophrenia

Computational Psychiatry

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