Anatomy
The anterior cingulate cortex can be divided anatomically based on cognitive (dorsal), and emotional (ventral) components. The dorsal part of the ACC is connected with the prefrontal cortex and parietal cortex as well as the motor system and the frontal eye fields making it a central station for processing top-down and bottom-up stimuli and assigning appropriate control to other areas in the brain. By contrast, the ventral part of the ACC is connected with amygdala, nucleus accumbens, hypothalamus, and anterior insula, and is involved in assessing the salience of emotion and motivational information. The ACC seems to be especially involved when effort is needed to carry out a task such as in early learning and problem-solving.
On a molecular level, the ACC is unique in its abundance of specialized neurons called spindle cells. These cells are a relatively recent occurrence in evolutionary terms (found only in humans and great apes) and contribute to this brain region's emphasis on addressing difficult problems, as well as the pathologies related to the ACC.
Read more about this topic: Anterior Cingulate Cortex
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