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Cingulate Cortex

Published: Jul 16, 2023
  /  
Updated: Jul 21, 2023

Written by Oseh Mathias

Founder, SpeechFit

The cingulate cortex is an integral part of the brain situated in the medial aspect of the cerebral hemispheres. It is a component of the limbic system, which plays a role in emotional processing and memory[1]. The cingulate cortex lies immediately above the corpus callosum, a bundle of nerve fibers connecting the left and right cerebral hemispheres[2].

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Cingulate Gyrus highlighted in yellow. Wysiadecki et al. (2021)[3] I chose this image because it clearly shows the CG, however, please note that in this specimen the PCG (paracingulate gyrus) is absent.
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Coronol view of the brain showing the cingulate gyrus highlighted yellow.

The cingulate cortex itself can be further divided into two main regions: the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)[4].

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Divisions of the cingulate cortex. Williams, M. (2021)[5]

The anterior cingulate cortex is involved in a multitude of cognitive and emotional functions, including decision-making, anticipation of reward, empathy, impulse control, and emotion[6]. Furthermore, it is implicated in error detection and conflict monitoring, meaning it helps identify when something is not as expected, initiating the necessary adjustments[7].

The posterior cingulate cortex, including the retrosplenial area, has a significant role in memory retrieval, consciousness, and spatial orientation[8].

The retrosplenial area, situated posterior to the splenium of the corpus callosum, is particularly crucial for spatial memory and navigation[9]. It assists in forming and retrieving episodic memory, including the ability to remember routes in a spatial environment[10]. The retrosplenial area is also considered part of the default mode network (DMN), a network of interacting brain regions that is active when the individual is not focused on the outside world and the brain is in a state of wakeful rest[11].


Author

Oseh Mathias

SpeechFit Founder

Oseh is a software engineer, entrepreneur and founder of SpeechFit. Oseh is passionate about improving health and wellbeing outcomes for neurodiverse people and healthcare providers alike.


References
  • Rolls ET. (2015). Limbic systems for emotion and for memory, but no single limbic system. Cortex. 62:119-57.

  • Catani M, Dell’acqua F, Thiebaut de Schotten M. (2013). A revised limbic system model for memory, emotion and behaviour. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 37(8):1724-1737.

  • Wysiadecki, G., Mazurek, A., Walocha, J., Majos, A., Tubbs, R. S., Iwanaga, J., ... & Radek, M. (2021). Revisiting the Morphology and Classification of the Paracingulate Gyrus with Commentaries on Ambiguous Cases. Brain Sci., 11(7), 872. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11070872. (Figure 1).

  • Vogt, B. (2009). Regions and subregions of the cingulate gyrus. Cingulate Neurobiology and Disease. Oxford University Press. p. 3-30.

  • Williams, M. (2021). [Image of The Cingulate Cortex]. In The Neuropathology of Schizophrenia.

  • Shenhav A, Botvinick MM, Cohen JD. (2013). The Expected Value of Control: An Integrative Theory of Anterior Cingulate Cortex Function. Neuron. 79(2):217-40.

  • Ridderinkhof KR, Ullsperger M, Crone EA, Nieuwenhuis S. (2004). The Role of the Medial Frontal Cortex in Cognitive Control. Science. 306(5695):443-447.

  • Leech R, Sharp DJ. (2014). The role of the posterior cingulate cortex in cognition and disease. Brain. 137(Pt 1):12-32.

  • Epstein RA. (2008). Parahippocampal and retrosplenial contributions to human spatial navigation. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. 12(10):388-396.

  • Miller AM, Vedder LC, Law LM, Smith DM. (2014). Cues, context, and long-term memory: the role of the retrosplenial cortex in spatial cognition. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 8:586.

  • Buckner RL, Andrews-Hanna JR, Schacter DL. (2008). The brain's default network: anatomy, function, and relevance to disease. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1124:1-38.