The rapid threat appraisal-response system has bidirectional connections with regions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC; Adolphs, 2003). There is increasing evidence that development and individual differences on cognitive tasks involving dorsolateral-ACC pathways are negatively correlated with measures of negative emotionality (Posner et al., 2001; Rueda et al., 2004). With regard to threat-system modulation, there is evidence that the amygdala is modulated by the PFC, particularly pathways involving the orbital/medial PFC although this is a rapidly evolving area of study (see Davidson, 2004; Gemar et al., 2007). The orbital/medial PFC is also rich with glucocorticoid and CRH-1 receptors. In mature organisms, this region is involved in control of the HPA system and in autonomic responses to psychological stressors (Sullivan and Gratton, 2002).
