How the frontal lobe is functionally organized is still debated. Some models give priority to broad functional divisions, others to large-scale networks, and still others to fine local specializations. While a number of neurocognitive accounts have attempted to describe how the cingulate cortex and lateral frontal regions interact during decision-making and cognitive control, the anatomical basis of these interactions has stayed unclear. Cognitive dynamics depend simultaneously on the intrinsic properties of local neuronal microcircuits and on the structural features of large brain networks—two organizational scales that jointly shape function yet are frequently examined in isolation.
Seeking to clarify this anatomical basis, the authors carried out a thorough mapping of the functional connectivity linking the cingulate and lateral frontal territories, relying on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) recorded in rhesus macaques. They examined how the rostral portion of the cingulate sulcus connects to the lateral frontal cortex, bringing together a data-driven strategy and a seed-based (region-of-interest) analysis.
Across both approaches, three separate aggregates emerged along the rostro-caudal axis of the cingulate sulcus. The frontmost aggregate showed stronger functional connectivity with anterior lateral prefrontal areas; the intermediate one was preferentially linked to the lateral frontal motor regions devoted to face and eye movements; and the rearmost aggregate displayed tighter coupling with the lateral frontal hand motor cortex. The authors also demonstrated that, for any given individual, the position of these three aggregates can be inferred from morphological landmarks. Building on this, they suggest that the anterior aggregate corresponds to the anterior cingulate cortex itself, while the two more caudal aggregates match the face-eye and hand cingulate motor areas situated within the anterior midcingulate cortex.
Taken together, these findings deliver a consistent framework for delineating cingulate subregions from their functional connectivity and local architecture, thereby connecting microcircuit specialization to its integration within wider frontal networks. Because this mapping proves both reproducible and predictable at the single-subject level, the study supplies a valuable anatomo-functional landmark for understanding the contribution of the cingulate cortex to action control and cognition.