Relating to the part of your brain right behind your forehead that controls decision-making, planning, and controlling impulses.
From 'pre-' (before, in front of) + 'frontal' (relating to the front), from Latin 'frons' (forehead). This anatomical term became common in neuroscience in the 20th century.
Your prefrontal cortex doesn't fully develop until you're about 25 years old—which is literally why teenagers take crazy risks and don't think about consequences, and why the legal system sometimes treats young people differently!
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