The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), as part of the limbic system, is involved in emotional regulation. Specifically, the dorsal, or cognitive, ACC is involved in conflict resolution, while the rostral, or affective, ACC is involved in determining the valence of emotional stimuli. Individuals with social phobia show increased activation of the ACC when viewing "disgusted" facial expressions as opposed to neutral expressions. These individuals also rated the expressions as more negative, with a faster response time than healthy controls. Cingulectomy was shown to significantly improve symptoms in patients with anxiety neurosis. Taken together, these findings suggest a role for the rostral ACC in the pathology of SAD.