Final answer:
Orbitofrontal cortex damage impairs decision-making through impaired emotional processing leading to increased impulsivity, poor judgment, and difficulty in emotional regulation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Damage to the orbitofrontal cortex can impair decision-making due to its role in integrating emotion and reasoning to guide behavior. Such damage often leads to impaired emotional processing, which can manifest as difficulty in controlling emotional impulses, and consequently, poor decision-making. For example, Phineas Gage, who suffered frontal lobe damage, experienced significant changes in personality and behavior due to the impaired connections between his frontal lobe and the limbic system. Accumulating evidence within neuroscience shows that disruptions in neurotransmitter balance, especially dopamine (DA), can lead to deficits in decision-making, working-memory, cognitive flexibility, and, importantly, increased impulsivity - not reduced impulsivity. Therefore, disruptions in the frontal cortex can result in a range of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems, including impaired judgment, poor planning, and changes in impulse control.