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Updated: Dec 9, 2025

Detecting Pre-Stimulus Source-Level Effects on Object Perception with Magnetoencephalography
Published on: July 26, 2019
To the self and beyond: Arousal and functional connectivity of the temporo-parietal junction contributes to
Sara Salgues1, Gaën Plancher1, Laurence Jacquot2
1Université de Lyon, Lyon, France; Département de Sciences Cognitives, Psychologie Cognitive & Neuropsychologie, Institut de Psychologie, Laboratoire d'Étude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université Lyon 2, Lyon, France.
Abstract:
The temporoparietal junction (TPJ), along with the anterior insula (AI) and the extrastriate body area (EBA), play a major part in embodiment and self-awareness. However, these connections also appear to be frequently engaged in arousal and attentional processing of external events. Considering that these networks may focus attention both toward and away from the self, we set to investigate how they contribute to the perception of spontaneous sensations (SPS), a common phenomenon related to self-awareness and mediated by both interoceptive and attentional processes. In Experiment 1, resting-state EEG was recorded, as well as arousal reported via a questionnaire, followed by a SPS task. Functional TPJ-AI and TPJ-EBA connectivity were computed using eLORETA. Spatial correlational analyses showed that less frequent SPS coincided with greater TPJ-AI and TPJ-EBA functional connectivity, especially in the theta and alpha frequency bands. High self-reported arousal predicted low intensity and low confidence in the location of SPS. Resting-state skin conductance level (SCL) was recorded in Experiment 2, followed by the SPS task. Less frequent SPS coincided with greater SCL. Findings are interpreted in terms of attention and self-related processes, and a discussion of the TPJ participation in self-awareness through SPS is presented.
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