PII S0361-9230(99)00245-2 Proceedings of the Human Cerebral Cortex: From Gene to Structure and Function Connections underlying the synthesis of cognition, memory, and emotion in primate prefrontal cortices

ABSTRACT: Distinct domains of the prefrontal cortex in pri-mates have a set of connections suggesting that they have different roles in cognition, memory, and emotion. Caudal lateral prefrontal areas (areas 8 and 46) receive projections from cortices representing early stages in visual or auditory processing, and from intraparietal and posterior cingulate areas associated with oculomotor guidance and attentional processes. Cortical input to areas 46 and 8 is complemented by projections from the thalamic multiform and parvicellular sectors of the mediodorsal nucleus associated with oculo-motor functions and working memory. In contrast, caudal orbitofrontal areas receive diverse input from cortices rep-resenting late stages of processing within every unimodal sensory cortical system. In addition, orbitofrontal and caudal medial (limbic) prefrontal cortices receive robust projection