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<li id="toc-Autobiographical_memories" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Autobiographical_memories"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.3</span> <span>Autobiographical memories</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Autobiographical_memories-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Morality" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Morality"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.4</span> <span>Morality</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Morality-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Views_of_self" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Views_of_self"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Views of self</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Views_of_self-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li 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.sidebar{width:100%!important;clear:both;float:none!important;margin-left:0!important;margin-right:0!important}}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .sidebar a>img{max-width:none!important}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sidebar{display:none!important}}</style><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks hlist"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-pretitle" style="background:#ddddff;;padding-top:0.4em;">Part of <a href="/wiki/Category:Self" title="Category:Self">a series</a> on</td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-title-with-pretitle" style="background:#ddddff;;padding-top:0;"><a href="/wiki/Self" title="Self">The Self</a></th></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background:#ddddff;;border-top:1px #ddddff solid;"> Constructs</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Self-knowledge_(psychology)" title="Self-knowledge (psychology)">Self-knowledge (psychology)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Self-image" title="Self-image">Self-image</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Self-concept" title="Self-concept">Self-concept</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Self-schema" title="Self-schema">Self-schema</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background:#ddddff;;border-top:1px #ddddff solid;"> Theories</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Neural basis of self</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Self-categorization_theory" title="Self-categorization theory">Self-categorization theory</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background:#ddddff;;border-top:1px #ddddff solid;"> Processes</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Self-perception_theory" title="Self-perception theory">Self-perception theory</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Self-awareness" title="Self-awareness">Self-awareness</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Self-reflection" title="Self-reflection">Self-reflection</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Self-consciousness" title="Self-consciousness">Self-consciousness</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background:#ddddff;;border-top:1px #ddddff solid;"> Value judgment</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Self-esteem" title="Self-esteem">Self-esteem</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/True_self_and_false_self" title="True self and false self">True self and false self</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background:#ddddff;;border-top:1px #ddddff solid;"> As applied to activities</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Self-assessment" title="Self-assessment">Self-assessment</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Self-efficacy" title="Self-efficacy">Self-efficacy</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background:#ddddff;;border-top:1px #ddddff solid;"> Interpersonal</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Self-disclosure" title="Self-disclosure">Self-disclosure</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Self-concealment" title="Self-concealment">Self-concealment</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background:#ddddff;;border-top:1px #ddddff solid;"> Social</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Personal_identity" title="Personal identity">Personal identity (philosophy)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Identity_(social_science)" title="Identity (social science)">Identity (social science)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Collective_identity" title="Collective identity">Collective identity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Social_identity_theory" title="Social identity theory">Social identity theory</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/In-group_and_out-group" title="In-group and out-group">In-group and out-group</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Social_identity_threat" title="Social identity threat">Social identity threat</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background:#ddddff;;border-top:1px #ddddff solid;"> Politics</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Identity_politics" title="Identity politics">Identity politics</a> / <a href="/wiki/Respectability_politics" title="Respectability politics">Respectability politics</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Political_identity" title="Political identity">Political identity</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Self_sidebar" title="Template:Self sidebar"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Self_sidebar" title="Template talk:Self sidebar"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Self_sidebar" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Self sidebar"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The <b>neural basis of self</b> is the idea of using modern concepts of <a href="/wiki/Neuroscience" title="Neuroscience">neuroscience</a> to describe and understand the <a href="/wiki/Biological" class="mw-redirect" title="Biological">biological</a> processes that underlie humans' <a href="/wiki/Perception" title="Perception">perception</a> of self-understanding. The neural basis of <a href="/wiki/Self" title="Self">self</a> is closely related to the <a href="/wiki/Psychology_of_self" title="Psychology of self">psychology of self</a> with a deeper foundation in <a href="/wiki/Neurobiology" class="mw-redirect" title="Neurobiology">neurobiology</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Experimental_techniques">Experimental techniques</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Experimental techniques"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In order to understand how the human <a href="/wiki/Mind" title="Mind">mind</a> makes the <a href="/wiki/Human" title="Human">human</a> <a href="/wiki/Perception" title="Perception">perception</a> of <a href="/wiki/Self" title="Self">self</a>, there are different experimental techniques. One of the more common methods of determining brain areas that pertain to different <a href="/wiki/Mental_processes" class="mw-redirect" title="Mental processes">mental processes</a> is by using <a href="/wiki/Functional_Magnetic_Resonance_Imaging" class="mw-redirect" title="Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging">Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging</a>. <a href="/wiki/FMRI" class="mw-redirect" title="FMRI">fMRI</a> data is often used to determine activation levels in portions of the brain. fMRI measures blood flow in the brain. Areas with higher blood flow as shown on fMRI scans are said to be activated. This is due to the assumption that portions of the brain receiving increased blood flow are being used more heavily during the moment of scanning.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Positron_emission_tomography" title="Positron emission tomography">Positron emission tomography</a> is another method used to study brain activity.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Self-awareness">Self-awareness</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Self-awareness"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Self_awareness" class="mw-redirect" title="Self awareness">Self awareness</a></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Anatomy">Anatomy</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Anatomy"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Gray726.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Gray726.png/220px-Gray726.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="127" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Gray726.png/330px-Gray726.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Gray726.png/440px-Gray726.png 2x" data-file-width="700" data-file-height="405" /></a><figcaption>Brain areas involved human perception of self.</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Head_image.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9d/Head_image.jpg/220px-Head_image.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="132" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9d/Head_image.jpg/330px-Head_image.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9d/Head_image.jpg/440px-Head_image.jpg 2x" data-file-width="951" data-file-height="569" /></a><figcaption>Brain areas involved human perception of self.</figcaption></figure> <p>Two areas of the <a href="/wiki/Brain" title="Brain">brain</a> that are important in retrieving <a href="/wiki/Self-knowledge_(psychology)" title="Self-knowledge (psychology)">self-knowledge</a> are the <a href="/wiki/Medial_prefrontal_cortex" class="mw-redirect" title="Medial prefrontal cortex">medial prefrontal cortex</a> and the medial posterior parietal cortex.<sup id="cite_ref-Pfeifer_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pfeifer-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/Posterior_cingulate_cortex" title="Posterior cingulate cortex">posterior cingulate cortex</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Anterior_cingulate_cortex" title="Anterior cingulate cortex">anterior cingulate cortex</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Medial_prefrontal_cortex" class="mw-redirect" title="Medial prefrontal cortex">medial prefrontal cortex</a> are thought to combine to provide humans with the ability to self-reflect. The <a href="/wiki/Insular_cortex" title="Insular cortex">insular cortex</a> is also thought to be involved in the process of <a href="/wiki/Self-reference" title="Self-reference">self-reference</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Modinos_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Modinos-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Embodiment">Embodiment</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Embodiment"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The sense of embodiment is critical to a person's conception of <a href="/wiki/Self" title="Self">self</a>. Embodiment is the understanding of the physical body and its relation to oneself.<sup id="cite_ref-Arzy_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Arzy-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The study of human embodiment currently has a large impact on the study of human <a href="/wiki/Cognition" title="Cognition">cognition</a> as a whole. The current study of embodiment suggests that sensory input and <a href="/wiki/Experiences" class="mw-redirect" title="Experiences">experiences</a> impact human's overall <a href="/wiki/Perception" title="Perception">perception</a>. This idea somewhat challenges previous ideas of human <a href="/wiki/Cognition" title="Cognition">cognition</a> because it challenges the idea of the human mind being innate.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>There are two portions of the <a href="/wiki/Brain" title="Brain">brain</a> that have recently been found to have a large importance on a person's perception of <a href="/wiki/Self" title="Self">self</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Temporoparietal_junction" title="Temporoparietal junction">temporoparietal junction</a>, located in the <a href="/wiki/Cerebral_cortex" title="Cerebral cortex">cortex</a> is one of these brain regions. The <a href="/wiki/Temporoparietal_junction" title="Temporoparietal junction">temporoparietal junction</a> is thought to integrate <a href="/wiki/Sensory_information" class="mw-redirect" title="Sensory information">sensory information</a>. The second portion of the brain thought to be involved in perception of embodiment is the <a href="/wiki/Extrastriate_body_area" title="Extrastriate body area">extrastriate body area</a>. The extrastriate body area is located in the lateral occipitotemporal cortex. When people are shown images of body parts, the <a href="/wiki/Extrastriate_body_area" title="Extrastriate body area">extrastriate body area</a> is activated. The temporoparietal junction is involved in sensory integration processes while the extrastriate body area deals mainly with <a href="/wiki/Thoughts" class="mw-redirect" title="Thoughts">thoughts</a> of and exposure to human body parts. It has been found that the brain responds to <a href="/wiki/Stimulus_(physiology)" title="Stimulus (physiology)">stimuli</a> that involve embodiment differently from stimuli that involve <a href="/w/index.php?title=Locatization_(disambiguatino)&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Locatization (disambiguatino) (page does not exist)">localization</a>. During task performance tests, a person's <a href="/wiki/Body_position" class="mw-redirect" title="Body position">body position</a> (whether he or she is sitting or laying face up) affects how the extrastriate body area is activated. The temporoparietal junction, however, is not affected by a person's particular body position. The temporoparietal junction deals with disembodied rather than embodied self-location, explaining why a person's physical position does not affect its activation. Self-location as related to a person's sense of embodiment is related to his or her actual location in space.<sup id="cite_ref-Arzy_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Arzy-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Autobiographical_memories">Autobiographical memories</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Autobiographical memories"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The <a href="/wiki/Information" title="Information">information</a> people remember as <a href="/wiki/Autobiographical_memory" title="Autobiographical memory">autobiographical memory</a> is essential to their perception of self. These <a href="/wiki/Memories" class="mw-redirect" title="Memories">memories</a> form the way people feel about themselves. The left <a href="/wiki/Dorsolateral_prefrontal_cortex" title="Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex">dorsolateral prefrontal cortex</a> and <a href="/wiki/Posterior_cingulate_cortex" title="Posterior cingulate cortex">posterior cingulate cortex</a> are involved in the memory of autobiographical information.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Morality">Morality</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Morality"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Morality" title="Morality">Morality</a> is an extremely important defining factor for humans. It often defines or contributes to people's choices or actions, defining who a person is. Making moral decisions, much like other neural processes has a clear biological basis. The anterior and <a href="/wiki/Medial_prefrontal_cortex" class="mw-redirect" title="Medial prefrontal cortex">medial prefrontal cortex</a> and the superior temporal sulcus are activated when people feel <a href="/wiki/Guilt_(emotion)" title="Guilt (emotion)">guilt</a>, <a href="/wiki/Compassion" title="Compassion">compassion</a>, or <a href="/wiki/Embarrassment" title="Embarrassment">embarrassment</a>. Guilt and <a href="/wiki/Passion_(emotion)" title="Passion (emotion)">passion</a> activate the <a href="/wiki/Mesolimbic_pathway" title="Mesolimbic pathway">mesolimbic pathway</a>, and indignation and disgust are activated by the amygdala. There is clearly a network involved with the ideas of <a href="/wiki/Morality" title="Morality">morality</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Views_of_self">Views of self</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Views of self"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In order to explain how a human views themself, two different conceptual views of self-perception exist: the individualist and collectivistic views of <a href="/wiki/Self" title="Self">self</a>. The individualistic view of self involves people's perception of themselves as a stand-alone <a href="/wiki/Individual" title="Individual">individual</a>. This is thought of as a somewhat permanent perception of oneself that is unaffected by environmental and temporary cues and influences. People who view themselves in an individualistic sense describe themselves with <a href="/wiki/Personality_traits" class="mw-redirect" title="Personality traits">personality traits</a> that are permanent descriptions unrelated to particular situations. The collectivistic view of self, however, involves people's perception of themselves as members of a group or in a particular situation. The view people have of themselves in a collectivistic sense is entirely dependent on the situation they are in and the group with which they are interacting. These two ideas of self are also called self-construal styles.<sup id="cite_ref-Chiao_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Chiao-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> There is neurobiological evidence supporting these two definitions of self-construal styles. <a href="/wiki/FMRI" class="mw-redirect" title="FMRI">fMRI</a> data has been used to understand the <a href="/wiki/Biology" title="Biology">biology</a> of both the individualistic and collectivistic view of self. Certain people tend to view themselves in almost exclusively a collectivistic sense or an individualistic sense. When people have to describe themselves in a collectivistic way (as a part of a group), those who tend to view themselves collectivistically show greater <a href="/wiki/FMRI" class="mw-redirect" title="FMRI">fMRI</a> activation in the medial prefrontal cortex than those who view themselves individualistically. The reverse is true when people describe themselves individualistically.<sup id="cite_ref-Chiao_9-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Chiao-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Impaired_views_of_self">Impaired views of self</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Impaired views of self"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The study of the human <a href="/wiki/Mind" title="Mind">mind</a> in diseased states provides valuable insight into how the mind works in healthy individuals. A multitude of diseases are studied to understand altered perceptions of self and what causes these impairments. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Autism">Autism</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Autism"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Autism" title="Autism">Autism</a> is a disorder which impairs social interactions, communication, and behaviors.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A new approach to studying <a href="/wiki/Autism" title="Autism">autism</a> is to focus on individuals’ perception of <a href="/wiki/Self" title="Self">self</a> rather than understanding the individual's social interactions. A common thought is that understanding of the differences between the self and others is impaired. However, the exact biological mechanism of self-understanding in autistic children is currently unknown. It has been found that there are significant differences in brain activation in self and other situations in autistic children when compared to children who do not have autism. In adults who do not have autism, during <a href="/wiki/Self-recognition" class="mw-redirect" title="Self-recognition">self-recognition</a> tasks, the <a href="/wiki/Inferior_frontal_gyrus" title="Inferior frontal gyrus">inferior frontal gyrus</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Inferior_parietal_lobule" title="Inferior parietal lobule">inferior parietal lobule</a> in the right hemisphere are activated. Children who do not have autism show activation in these areas when performing face processing tasks for their own faces and those of others. Children with autism, however, only show activation in these areas when recognizing their own faces. The activation in the inferior frontal gyrus is less in children with autism than in those who do not have autism.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Schizophrenia">Schizophrenia</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Schizophrenia"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The cortical midline structure is extremely important in the understanding of the self, especially during the task of self-reflection. Many researchers believe that self-reference plays a role in the expression of <a href="/wiki/Psychoses" class="mw-redirect" title="Psychoses">psychoses</a>. The disturbance of the individual's self may be underlying the manifestation of these psychoses. Occurrences such as <a href="/wiki/Hallucinations" class="mw-redirect" title="Hallucinations">hallucinations</a> and <a href="/wiki/Delusions" class="mw-redirect" title="Delusions">delusions</a> may originate with disruptions of a person's perception of the self. Understanding the differences in those who have <a href="/wiki/Psychoses" class="mw-redirect" title="Psychoses">psychoses</a> and those who do not can aid in diagnoses and treatment of those diseases. Those who are prone to psychoses such as <a href="/wiki/Schizophrenia" title="Schizophrenia">schizophrenia</a>, when describing positive traits about themselves show increased activation in the left insula, right dorsomedial <a href="/wiki/Prefrontal_cortex" title="Prefrontal cortex">prefrontal cortex</a>, and left <a href="/wiki/Ventromedial_prefrontal_cortex" title="Ventromedial prefrontal cortex">ventromedial prefrontal cortex</a>. When they use negative traits to describe themselves, those who are prone to psychoses show higher activation in the bilateral insula, <a href="/wiki/Anterior_cingulate_cortex" title="Anterior cingulate cortex">anterior cingulate cortex</a>, and right dorsomedial prefrontal cortex.<sup id="cite_ref-Modinos_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Modinos-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="After_strokes">After strokes</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: After strokes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Sometimes after strokes patients' perception of self changes. Often after a stroke, patients report their perception of self in more negative terms than before their stroke. <sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Aging">Aging</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Aging"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>It has been found that humans’ ideas of themselves are established early in life but that the perception can change as others ideas are combined with their own. There are differences in the areas activated during self-knowledge retrieval between adults and children. This suggests a difference in self-knowledge neurobiologically due to normal aging. The <a href="/wiki/Prefrontal_cortex" title="Prefrontal cortex">prefrontal cortex</a> and the medial posterior parietal cortex have been found to be activated when adults perform self-knowledge retrieval processes. Tests consist of presenting subjects with self-description phrases and allowing the subject to respond yes or no depending on whether or not the phrase describes him or herself. During this task, patients brains are fMRI scanned. These results can then be compared to <a href="/wiki/FMRI" class="mw-redirect" title="FMRI">fMRI</a> data of the same patients when they are asked if the same phrases describe another individual, such as a well-known fictional character. The <a href="/wiki/Medial_prefrontal_cortex" class="mw-redirect" title="Medial prefrontal cortex">medial prefrontal cortex</a> is activated more strongly for subjects when they are describing themselves than when they are describing others. However, children show greater medial prefrontal cortex activation than adults when performing self-knowledge retrieval tasks. Additionally, children and adults activate different specific regions in the medial prefrontal cortex. Adults activate the posterior <a href="/wiki/Precuneus" title="Precuneus">precuneus</a> more while children activate the anterior precuneus and the posterior cingulate.<sup id="cite_ref-Pfeifer_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pfeifer-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The understanding of the areas of the brain most frequently activated in children and adults can also provide information about how children, adolescents, and adults view themselves differently. Older children more significantly activate the <a href="/wiki/Medial_prefrontal_cortex" class="mw-redirect" title="Medial prefrontal cortex">medial prefrontal cortex</a> because they deal with <a href="/wiki/Introspection" title="Introspection">introspection</a> much less frequently than adults and adolescents. Children have decreased specificity in skills than adults, so they show greater activation during spatial tasks. This is explained by the idea that with increased expertise in a task, decreased interest in wide spatial parameters occurs. When a person is an expert, he or she is able to be more focused in his or her performance. The difference in performance between adults and children is thought to be attributable to different perceptions of the self whether it is more introspective or more concerned with the surroundings and environment.<sup id="cite_ref-Pfeifer_3-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pfeifer-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Anatt%C4%81" title="Anattā">Anattā</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Binding_problem" title="Binding problem">Binding problem</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ego_death" title="Ego death">Ego death</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Neural_correlates_of_consciousness" title="Neural correlates of consciousness">Neural correlates of consciousness</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open_individualism" title="Open individualism">Open individualism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vertiginous_question" title="Vertiginous question">Vertiginous question</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">About Functional MRI. <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output 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Y., Iacoboni, M., et al. (2008). Neural Basis of Self and Other Representation in Autism: An fMRI Study of Self-Face Recognition. PLoS ONE, 3(10).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Ellis-Hill CS, Horn S. Change in identity and self-concept: a new theoretical approach to recovery following a stroke. Clinical Rehabilitation. 2000;14(3):279-287.</span> </li> </ol></div></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&oldid=1246409264">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Neural_basis_of_self&oldid=1246409264</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Self" title="Category:Self">Self</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Conceptions_of_self" title="Category:Conceptions of self">Conceptions of self</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Neuroscience_books" title="Category:Neuroscience books">Neuroscience books</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden categories: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_short_description" title="Category:Articles with short description">Articles with short description</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Short_description_is_different_from_Wikidata" title="Category:Short description is different from Wikidata">Short description is different from Wikidata</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 18 September 2024, at 19:43<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_4.0_International_License" title="Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License</a>; additional terms may apply. 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