dorsolateral

adjective

dor·​so·​lat·​er·​al ˌdȯr-sō-ˈla-tə-rəl How to pronounce dorsolateral (audio)
-ˈla-trəl
: of, relating to, or involving both the back and the sides

Examples of dorsolateral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which helps process fear and anxiety, also lit up. Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 1 Aug. 2024 Preliminary research shows that these exercises may stimulate the amygdala and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex – regions of the brain that are thought to be involved in depression – and have antidepressant effects. Mira Cheng, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024 In med-speak, an upswing of activity in the medial prefrontal cortex was observed during freestyles (an area involved in motivating thoughts and actions), with a simultaneous decrease of activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal zone (which self-monitors and supervises our thoughts). Jonathan Rowe, Spin, 19 Sep. 2023 For the first group, the researchers created lesions on the rats’ brains in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS), which is the sensorimotor arm of the striatum in the basal ganglia. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 12 Apr. 2022 By looking at whether patients’ symptoms improved or worsened, researchers identified a brain circuit that includes the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, an area that controls emotion processing and is impaired in patients with depression, that could be targeted to treat depression. Claudia López Lloreda, STAT, 17 Aug. 2021 Another area of the brain that is involved in alleviating inner mental conflict is the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is connected to cognitive control. Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 9 Nov. 2022 At the same time, the part of the brain responsible for self-inhibition and control, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, became dormant. Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 9 June 2022 For example, people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder exhibit heightened activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, known as the brain’s internal critic, when performing under pressure. Matt Fitzgerald, Outside Online, 7 Oct. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dorsolateral.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dorsolateral was in 1835

Dictionary Entries Near dorsolateral

Cite this Entry

“Dorsolateral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dorsolateral. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

dorsolateral

adjective
dor·​so·​lat·​er·​al ˌdȯr-sō-ˈlat-ə-rəl, -ˈla-trəl How to pronounce dorsolateral (audio)
: of, relating to, or involving both the back and the sides
the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
dorsolaterally adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!