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What Happens if the Prefrontal Cortex Is Damaged?

Doctors may not be able to identify damages to the prefrontal cortex at first sight, and the outcomes for the patient can be everlasting.

Credit: sfam_photo/Shutterstock

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As one of our most important organs, the brain oversees vital functions, ranging from our thoughts and emotions to our movements and how we respond to stimuli, among many other tasks.

Not surprisingly, when a person suffers an injury to the brain, how their physiology responds to it depends on the part of the brain affected. Since the brain comprises of billions of neurons that take part in different functions of high-level regions and subregions, what happens if the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is damaged? What is the PFC anyway?

The PFC consists of the front part of the frontal lobe in the cerebral cortex. It’s located right behind the eyes and is the part of the brain responsible for executive functions.

Executive functions are top-level control processes or vital activities that regulate cognitive and social behavior, personality and decision-making — the latter being one of the most important executive functions.

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