Distinct and common aspects of physical and psychological self-representation in the brain: A meta-analysis of self-bias in facial and self-referential judgements. (February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hu, Chuanpeng; Di, Xin; Eickhoff, Simon B.; Zhang, Mingjun; Peng, Kaiping; Guo, Hua; Sui, Jie
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. Volume 61(2016)
• Page Start: 197
• Page End: 207
• Publication Date: 2016-02
• Subjects: Self -- Self-face -- Self-reference -- ALE; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Behavior -- Periodicals; Ethology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiologie -- Périodiques; Comportement humain -- Périodiques; Animaux -- Mœurs et comportement -- Périodiques; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Animal behavior; Human behavior; Neurology; Psychophysiology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 573.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.12.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-7634

Abstract

Highlights: Using ALE meta-analyses to assess distinct and common neural self-representation. Self-face processing relates to bilateral regions but a right hemispheric dominance. Self-referential judgements relate to CMS, specifically the ACC/SFC. The ACC and left IFG/insula represent a core aspect of the self. Abstract: The neural representation of self is a fundamental question for brain research. Employing activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analyses, we assessed the commonalities and distinctions between different components of the self by focusing on the 'physical' self and the 'psychological' self – assessed respectively through face processing and self-referential tasks. We first conducted ALE meta-analyses by computing the convergence of findings on brain activation in self-face recognition and self-referential studies respectively. Contrast and conjunction analyses of these two meta-analytic results were then applied to extract the distinctions and commonalities in self-face and self-reference tasks. Facial self processing was particularly associated with lateral brain regions with a right hemispheric dominance, while processing psychological self predominantly activated cortical midline structures, more specifically the anterior cingulate cortex/superior frontal cortex. In contrast, the conjunction analyses showed that the two aspects of self-processing recruit the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and the left inferior frontal gyrus extending to the insula. A framework including both distinct and common neural representation of selfs is discussed.