The effect of perspective and content on brain activation during mentalizing in young females

• Published in: Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology Vol. 34; no. 3; pp. 227 - 234
• Main Authors: Veroude, Kim, Keulers, Esther H. H., Evers, Elisabeth A. T., Stiers, Peter, Krabbendam, Lydia, Jolles, Jelle
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hove Taylor & Francis Group 01.03.2012; Psychology Press
• Subjects: Adolescent; Anatomical correlates of behavior; Behavior; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; Brain; Brain - physiology; Brain Mapping; Embarrassment; Emotion; Emotions - physiology; Empathy - physiology; Female; Females; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Imagination - physiology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Other; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Self; Social attribution, perception and cognition; Social psychology; Theory of mind; Theory of Mind - physiology; Young Adult; Human; Affect affectivity; Central nervous system; Activation; Temporal cortex; Emotion emotionality; Prefrontal cortex; Self; Theory of mind; Social cognition; Encephalon; Adolescent; Young adult; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Female; Parietal lobe; Behavior; Emotion; Woman; Laterality; Other
• ISSN: 1380-3395; 1744-411X
• DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2011.630650

In the present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, we investigated the role of different brain regions in separate aspects of mentalizing. Young females aged 18-19 years were asked to imagine a social situation and answer a question. Perspective, self and other, as well as content, emotion, and behavior, were varied. Activation was observed in the left precuneus, left temporoparietal junction, left medial prefrontal cortex and left middle temporal gyrus. Left precuneus and left temporoparietal junction were recruited more when taking the perspective of other than when taking the perspective of self. Medial prefrontal areas might be more involved during mentalizing about emotion versus baseline than about behavior versus baseline.