Shared neural circuits for mentalizing about the self and others

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Social Neuroscience

Background:

• Shared neural representations for self and other are documented.
• The interaction between these shared representations and other brain regions remains unclear.
• The relationship between high-level inference-based and lower-level embodied mentalizing is unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how shared mentalizing representations interact with the broader brain network.
• To determine if high-level inference-based mentalizing interacts with lower-level embodied/simulation-based representations.

Main Methods:

• Functional neuroimaging (fMRI) was employed.
• A functional connectivity approach was utilized.
• The study focused on high-level inference-based mentalizing tasks.

Main Results:

• Shared mentalizing representations in ventromedial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate/precuneus, and temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) showed identical functional connectivity for self and other.
• These connectivity patterns extended to low-level embodied neural systems, including frontal operculum/ventral premotor cortex, anterior insula, primary sensorimotor cortex, and presupplementary motor area.

Conclusions:

• Identical neural circuits implement self and other mentalizing processes.
• Mentalizing likely involves the integration of low-level embodied processes within high-level inference-based mentalizing.