Self-awareness In
fMRI experiments, Goldberg
et al. have found evidence that the superior frontal gyrus is involved in
self-awareness, in coordination with the action of the
sensory system. The
medial frontal gyrus (MFG) is the medial portion of the superior frontal gyrus. The MFG plays a crucial role implicated in
self-reflection and
self-awareness, particularly during self-referential processing. The MFG becomes activated when individuals engage in tasks that involve evaluating traits about themselves. This process is essential for maintaining a
sense of self. In this study, people with
major depressive disorder, also known as MDD, showed heightened and broader activation compared to healthy individuals, indicating that the connection between MDD and the medial frontal gyrus is shown through excessive self-awareness in
depression that requires greater
cognitive control. This heightened activation is often linked to persistent negative self-focused thoughts. While the medial frontal gyrus plays a role in self-awareness, it also demonstrates altered activity in depression that drives maladaptive
self-reflection patterns, furthering the
emotional distress and inability to shift focus from negative thoughts. Research into the connection between the gyrus and language began after the tract connecting the SFG and
Broca’s area was discovered and named the “frontal aslant tract”.
Laughter In 1998, neurosurgeon Itzhak Fried described a 16-year-old female patient (referred to as "patient AK") who
laughed when her SFG was stimulated with
electric current during treatment for
epilepsy.
Electrical stimulation was applied to the
cortical surface of AK's left
frontal lobe while an attempt was made to locate the focus of her
epileptic seizures (which were never accompanied by laughter). Fried identified a 2 cm by 2 cm area on the left SFG where stimulation produced laughter consistently (over several trials). AK reported that the laughter was accompanied by a sensation of merriment or mirth. AK gave a different explanation for the laughter each time, attributing it to an (unfunny) external stimulus. Thus, laughter was attributed to the picture she was asked to name (saying "the horse is funny"), or to the sentence she was asked to read, or to persons present in the room ("you guys are just so funny... standing around"). Increasing the level of stimulation current increased the duration and intensity of laughter. For example, at low currents only a
smile was present, while at higher currents a louder, contagious laughter was induced. The laughter was also accompanied by the stopping of all activities involving speech or hand movements.
Working Memory The superior frontal gyrus (SFG) may play a role in
executive functions such as
self-monitoring,
working memory,
organization, and
planning. In a 2006 study, patients with left prefrontal
lesions on the SFG exhibited poorer results on working memory tasks than the control group. Mapping showed the lateral and posterior portions of the SFG contributed the most to the working memory deficit (mostly in
Brodmann area 8 in front of the
frontal eye field). This study suggests the SFG is involved in executive processing. == Disorders Associated with Abnormalities of the Superior Frontal Gyrus ==