Orbitofrontal involvement in the processing of unpleasant auditory information

Although little is known about the contribution of the orbitofrontal cortex to the processing of new information in man, lesion studies in monkeys have suggested that it plays a critical role. The present study investigated changes in cerebral blood flow with positron emission tomography in normal human subjects during exposure to unpleasant auditory stimuli. The results indicated that the caudal orbitofrontal cortex, area 13, which is powerfully linked to the medial temporal limbic region and is involved in the regulation of autonomic responses, is a key part of the frontal cortex responding in the face of unpleasant incoming information.