The Frontal Lobe

The frontal lobe occupies the rostral portion of each hemisphere and has three surfaces: dorso-lateral, mesial, and orbital, which are bordered by the Rolando’s central fissure, the cingulate sulcus, and the insula sulcus, respectively. The prefrontal areas have reciprocal connections with the premotor cortex and, mediated by this area, with the motor area. The right and left frontal lobes are connected through the corpus callosum in a topographically organised way, despite extensive imbrication. The dorso-medial and antero-ventral nuclei of the thalamus serve as intermediate structures between the basal ganglia and the prefrontal cortex. The upper colliculus has important reciprocal relations with specific frontal areas. The surface layers of the colliculus are connected with the frontal eye field and area 6 which is involved in the movements of eyes, neck, and upper limbs. The highly diverse functions of the frontal cortex will be considered in light of data yielded from neuropsychological research in humans.