infralimbic
in-fruh-LIM-bik
Definition
A specific subdivision of the medial prefrontal cortex in rodents, primarily associated with the regulation of habitual behaviors and the selection of learned strategies.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'infra-' meaning 'below' and 'limbus' meaning 'edge' or 'border,' referring to its anatomical location beneath the limbic system structures.
In the news
The article uses 'infralimbic' to identify the specific brain region in rats where neural activity was manipulated to observe how habits are suppressed or reinstated. It is central to the experiment’s ability to demonstrate that habits can be toggled on or off without being permanently deleted.
MIT neuroscientists silenced a tiny region of rats’ prefrontal cortex for just seconds, and an ingrained habit stopped controlling their behaviour almost immediately. But the habit had not vanished—it remained hidden and later returned, suggesting this region ac
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com