Brodmann area 46

Brodmann area 46, or BA46, is part of the frontal cortex in the human brain. It is between BA10 and BA45.Animation.Frontal view.Lateral view. Brodmann area 46, or BA46, is part of the frontal cortex in the human brain. It is between BA10 and BA45. BA46 is known as middle frontal area 46. In the human brain it occupies approximately the middle third of the middle frontal gyrus and the most rostral portion of the inferior frontal gyrus. Brodmann area 46 roughly corresponds with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), although the borders of area 46 are based on cytoarchitecture rather than function. The DLPFC also encompasses part of granular frontal area 9, directly adjacent on the dorsal surface of the cortex. Cytoarchitecturally, BA46 is bounded dorsally by the granular frontal area 9, rostroventrally by the frontopolar area 10 and caudally by the triangular area 45 (Brodmann-1909). There is some discrepancy between the extent of BA8 (Brodmann-1905) and the same area as described by Walker (1940). The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex plays a central role in sustaining attention and managing working memory, and has recently been shown to regulate self-control. It is one of the few cortical areas whose activity diminishes during REM sleep.