Brainstorms May 13, 2009

Norepinephrine and Dopamine Regulate Signals and Noise in the Prefrontal Cortex

Stephen M. Stahl, MD, PhD

J Clin Psychiatry 2009;70(5):617-618

Article Abstract

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is composed of a seriesof neuronal networks that establish the circuitry toprocess information in the brain. Depending on which areasof PFC are involved, malfunctioning of different circuitscan generate a wide range of psychiatric symptoms fromproblems of cognition and impulsivity to disorders of moodand anxiety. Such malfunctioning PFC circuits can even bevisualized and topographically localized with modern neuroimagingtechniques.