Definition of "prefrontal cortex" [prefrontal cortex]

• The anterior part of the frontal lobes of the brain, lying in front of the motor and premotor areas. (noun)

Wiktionary.org : Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

• "In evolutionary terms the prefrontal cortex is a relatively new addition at the top front of the brain, and it is responsible for performing “executive” functions, such as identifying goals, predicting the future consequence of actions, delaying gratification, and balancing future rewards against present desires.13 When the prefrontal cortex does its job, we stay on track, steer clear of temptation, and avoid embarrassing social situations.14 When it doesn’t, our lives fall apart."