Role of dorsilateral prefrontal cortex?

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) plays a pivotal role in various cognitive and emotional processes. According to Andrew Huberman, the DLPFC is crucial for interpreting our bodily signals of comfort or discomfort, which then informs decision-making. For instance, it assesses the appropriateness of physiological reactions like heart rate in relation to the situation, working in concert with the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) to make sense of these bodily signals. This interaction helps in making informed decisions based on emotional and bodily states 1.

Additionally, the DLPFC is engaged extensively during decision-making processes, such as during meal selection. This area of the brain evaluates options and makes decisions aligned with long-standing personal health principles or immediate nutritional needs 2.

Moreover, the DLPFC's involvement extends to broader cognitive capabilities, like the manipulation of rule sets and belief systems. This enables it to adapt and apply various strategies to resolve conflicts and address challenges, which significantly impacts psychosocial functioning and mental health 3.

Also, the DLPFC plays a vital role in therapeutic interventions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), by helping to restore functional governance over more subcortical, emotion-driven brain regions, improving outcomes for conditions like depression 4.