The orbitofrontal cortex (OfC) is a heterogeneous prefrontal sector selecti
vely connected with a wide constellation of other prefrontal. limbic, senso
ry and promotor areas. Among the limbic cortical connections, the ones with
the hippocampus and parahippocampal cortex are particularly salient. Senso
ry cortices connected with the OfC include areas involved in olfactory, gus
tatory, somatosensory, auditory and visual processing. Subcortical structur
es with prominent OfC connections include the amygdala. numerous thalamic n
uclei. the striatum, hypothalamus. periaqueductal gray matter, and biochemi
cally specific cell groups in the basal forebrain and brainstem. Architecto
nic and connectional evidence supports parcellation of the OfC. The rostral
ly placed isocortical sector is mainly connected with isocortical areas, in
cluding sensory areas of the auditory, somatic and visual modalities, where
as the caudal non-isocortical sector is principally connected with non-isoc
ortical areas, and, in the sensory domain, with olfactory and gustatory are
as. The connections of the isocortical and non-isocortical orbital sectors
with the amygdala, thalamus, striatum, hypothalamus and periaqueductal gray
matter are also specific. The medial sector of the OfC is selectively conn
ected with the hippocampus. posterior parahippocampal cortex, posterior cin
gulate and retrosplenial areas, and area prostriata, while the lateral orbi
tofrontal sector is the most heavily connected with sensory areas of the gu
statory, somatic and visual modalities, with premotor regions, and with the
amygdala.