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Disinhibition: more than a misnomer
1a Department of Neruology and Neurological Sciences , Stanford University , Stanford , CA , USA.
Social Neuroscience
|September 28, 2011
Summary
The disinhibition concept in social cognition is outdated, suggesting frontal lobes inhibit subcortical structures. This view lacks neuroanatomical support, as brain structures interact reciprocally.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Social Cognition
- Brain Organization
Background:
- The concept of disinhibition, rooted in Victorian ideas, posits frontal lobe inhibition of subcortical structures.
- This notion influences current understanding of social cognition and behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To challenge the entrenched notion of disinhibition in social cognition.
- To argue that this concept is based on an erroneous, hierarchical view of brain organization.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of historical and neuroanatomical evidence.
- Critique of the hierarchical brain organization model.
Main Results:
- The disinhibition model lacks support from neuroanatomy.
- Brain structures exhibit mutually reciprocal relationships, not a simple hierarchical inhibition.
Conclusions:
- The disinhibition concept is a semantic issue stemming from an outdated, social Darwinistic view of the brain.
- A reciprocal model of brain organization better reflects neuroanatomical evidence.
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