One specific region within the prefrontal cortex keeps showing up as being central for all types of inhibition. It’s called the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC), and it sits just behind the right and left temples. The VLPFC inhibits many types of responses. When you inhibit a motor response, a cognitive response, or an emotional response, this region becomes active. It appears that the brain has many different “accelerators,” with different parts of the brain involved in language, emotions, movement, and memories. Yet there is a system used for all types of braking, the VLPFC (while
...more
