Prefrontal Cortex Role in Stress Processing and Regulation

Abstract

Regulation and processing of the stress are the important roles of the prefrontal cortex. During exposing to stress, various regions of the prefrontal cortex will be activated like lateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex and medial orbitofrontal cortex. Amygdala responses to the stress as a natural mechanism but long-term stimulation of the amygdala leads to its dysfunction and consequently prefrontal cortex dysfunction. Due to the inverse relationship between prefrontal cortex and amygdala, increasing in the activity of the prefrontal cortex leads to reduced activity of the amygdala. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis would be modulated by the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in stress. During negative emotions regulation, the amygdalar activity and cortisol response would be decreased and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex activity would be increased. The role of ventromedial prefrontal cortex and amygdala connection is important for fear extinction after exposing to the stress. There would be a close relationship between amygdala and prefrontal cortex and sustained the overactivity of the amygdala would influence the regulatory function of the prefrontal region in an adverse direction.