The '''anterior cingulate cortex''' (ACC) is the frontal part of the [[cingulate cortex]], that resembles a "collar" form around the [[corpus callosum]], the fibrous bundle that relays neural signals between the right and left [[cerebral hemisphere]]s of the brain. It consists of Brodmann areas 24, 32 and 33. It appears to play a role in a wide variety of [[Autonomic nervous system|autonomic]] functions, such as regulating blood pressure and heart rate, as well as rational cognitive functions, such as [[rewards|reward]] anticipation, [[Decision Making|decision making]], empathy<ref>http://ccare.stanford.edu/node/89</ref> and emotion.<ref>Decety, J., & Jackson, P.L. (2004). The functional architecture of human empathy. Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Reviews, 3, 71-100.</ref><ref>Jackson P.L., Brunet E., Meltzoff A.N., Decety J., 2006 Empathy examined through the neural mechanisms involved in imagining how I feel versus how you feel pain: An event-related fMRI study, ''Neuropsychologia'', 44, pp. 752–61</ref>. ACC gyrus is involved in learning social values<ref>Rushworth M, Behrens T, Rudebeck P, Walton M. Contrasting roles for cingulate and orbitofrontal cortex in decisions and social behavior. Trends In Cognitive Sciences. 2007;11: 168– 176.</ref>. ACC is also necessary for an appraisal of the energetic cost versus benefits of actions, and a preference to expend effort to achieve a goal.