Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

The self: clues from the brain.

Joseph LeDoux1

  • 1Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA. ledoux@cns.nyu.edu

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|November 20, 2003
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Consciousness beyond the human case.

Current biology : CB·2023
Same author

Joseph LeDoux.

Current biology : CB·2023
Same author

The modulation of emotional and social behaviors by oxytocin signaling in limbic network.

Frontiers in molecular neuroscience·2022
Same author

Upregulation of eIF4E, but not other translation initiation factors, in dendritic spines during memory formation.

The Journal of comparative neurology·2021
Same author

Correlation Between Rostral Dorsomedial Prefrontal Cortex Activation by Trauma-Related Words and Subsequent Response to CBT for PTSD.

The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences·2020
Same author

Higher-order memory schema and consciousness experience.

Cognitive neuropsychology·2020
Same journal

Global Trends in Light Pollution and Their Relationship With Socioeconomic Factors.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·2026
Same journal

Wired for Corruption: Inter-Brain Synchrony Encodes Bribery-Related Value Information and Predicts Bribery Agreement.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·2026
Same journal

LM-YOLO: A Lightweight Multi-Scale Enhanced Model for Forest Smoke Detection Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·2026
Same journal

Polyrhythm Perception and Production: A Scoping Review.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·2026
Same journal

DARTS-CNN-BiLSTM: Intelligent Fault Diagnosis for Computer Numerical Control Machine Tool Feed System.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·2026
Same journal

Synchrony and Reciprocity in Rhythmic Interaction.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·2026
See all related articles

The self is not just conscious awareness but a network of memories, including unconscious aspects studied across species. This synaptic view integrates nature and nurture, linking personal identity to brain mechanisms.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science
  • Psychology

Background:

  • The concept of 'self' remains challenging to reconcile with modern neuroscience.
  • Distinguishing between the 'self' and 'conscious self' is crucial, as much of identity operates unconsciously.
  • Unconscious aspects of the self are observable in other species, offering insights into brain mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a neuroscientific framework for understanding the self.
  • To integrate conscious and unconscious aspects of selfhood within a brain-based model.
  • To explore the role of memory in the neural basis of self-identity.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis integrating findings from neuroscience, psychology, and evolutionary biology.
  • Framing the self as a network of explicit and implicit memories.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Relating self-related processes to cellular and synaptic mechanisms in the brain.

    • Main Results:

    • The self can be understood as a complex network of memories, encompassing both conscious and unconscious experiences.
    • Unconscious self-aspects, observable in other species, are linked to specific brain mechanisms.
    • Genetic and experiential factors (nature and nurture) converge at the synaptic level, shaping the self.

    Conclusions:

    • A 'synaptic self' model provides a neuroscientifically compatible view of personal identity.
    • This perspective complements, rather than challenges, spiritual, cultural, and psychological understandings of the self.
    • Understanding the self through memory and synaptic connections offers a pathway to bridge subjective experience and objective brain function.