Neuroanatomy, Cingulate Cortex

The cingulate cortex is a fascinating area of the human brain that has attracted a lot of attention recently. It resides within the medial surface of the cerebral hemisphere, and is perhaps most well known as being part of the limbic system. It shares many important neural circuits, such as those with reward centers, amygdala, lateral prefrontal cortex, parietal cortex, motor areas, spinal cord, hippocampus, and limbic regions. Although previously viewed as a mysterious territory of the brain, evidence from cognitive and fMRI studies have established a better understanding of the cingulate cortex in the last decade. Its functional role continues to be heavily studied to this day. In the following sections, we shed more light on the cingulate cortical structure, function, and clinical and surgical significance.