How does the pre-frontal cortex control instinctual behavior?

Angela

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See:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170109124959.htm

"From fighting the urge to hit someone to resisting the temptation to run off stage instead of giving that public speech, we are often confronted with situations where we have to curb our instincts. Scientists at EMBL have traced exactly which neuronal projections prevent social animals like us from acting out such impulses. The study, published online in Nature Neuroscience, could have implications for schizophrenia and mood disorders like depression."

It could also have implications for studies in criminology.

"The scientists found that the connection from the prefrontal cortex is to a very specific region of the brainstem, called the PAG, which is responsible for the acting out of our instincts. However, it doesn't affect the hypothalamus, the region that controls feelings and emotions. So the prefrontal cortex keeps behavior in check, but doesn't affect the underlying instinctive feeling: it stops you from running off-stage, but doesn't abate the butterflies in your stomach."
 

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