Orbitofrontal cortex: A key prefrontal region for encoding information

Little is known about the specific functional contribution of the human orb itofrontal cortex with regard to memory processing, although there is stron g evidence from lesion studies in monkeys that it may play an important rol e. The present investigation measured changes in regional cerebral blood fl ow with positron emission tomography in normal human subjects who were inst ructed to commit to memory abstract visual patterns. The results indicated that the rostral orbitofrontal region (area 11). which is primarily linked with the anterior medial temporal limbic region and lateral prefrontal cort ical areas, is involved in the process of encoding of new information.