Display options
Cite
Moran JM, Kelley WM, Heatherton TF. What Can the Organization of the Brain's Default Mode Network Tell us About Self-Knowledge?. Front Hum Neurosci. 2013;7:391doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00391.
Moran, J. M., Kelley, W. M., & Heatherton, T. F. (2013). What Can the Organization of the Brain's Default Mode Network Tell us About Self-Knowledge?. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 7391. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00391
Moran, Joseph M, et al. "What Can the Organization of the Brain's Default Mode Network Tell us About Self-Knowledge?." Frontiers in human neuroscience vol. 7 (2013): 391. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00391
Moran JM, Kelley WM, Heatherton TF. What Can the Organization of the Brain's Default Mode Network Tell us About Self-Knowledge?. Front Hum Neurosci. 2013 Jul 17;7:391. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00391. eCollection 2013. PMID: 23882210; PMCID: PMC3713343.
Copy Download .nbib Format: NLM
Share it on

Front Hum Neurosci. 2013 Jul 17;7:391. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00391. eCollection 2013.

What Can the Organization of the Brain's Default Mode Network Tell us About Self-Knowledge?.

Frontiers in human neuroscience

Joseph M Moran, William M Kelley, Todd F Heatherton

Affiliations

  1. U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering Center , Natick, MA , USA ; Center for Brain Science, Harvard University , Cambridge, MA , USA.

PMID: 23882210 PMCID: PMC3713343 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00391

Abstract

Understanding ourselves has been a fundamental topic for psychologists and philosophers alike. In this paper we review the evidence linking specific brain structures to self-reflection. The brain regions most associated with self-reflection are the posterior cingulate and medial prefrontal (mPFC) cortices, together known as the cortical midline structures (CMSs). We review evidence arguing that self-reflection is special in memory, while noting that these brain regions are often engaged when we think about others in our social worlds. Based on the CMSs' patterns of connectivity and activity, we speculate about three possible interpretations of their role in supporting self-reflection that are somewhat overlapping, and not intended to be mutually exclusive. First, self may be a powerful, but ordinary case for a cognitive system specialized for thinking about people. Second, mPFC may serve as a processing "hub," binding together information from all sensory modalities with internally generated information. Third, mPFC may serve as a cortical director of thought, helping to guide moment-by-moment conscious processing. Suggestions are made for future research avenues aimed at testing such possibilities.

Keywords: cognitive neuroscience; default mode network; medial prefrontal cortex; posterior cingulate cortex; self-reflection

References

  1. Nat Neurosci. 2008 May;11(5):543-5 - PubMed
  2. J Cogn Neurosci. 1997 Fall;9(5):648-63 - PubMed
  3. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Mar 27;98(7):4259-64 - PubMed
  4. Sci China C Life Sci. 2006 Feb;49(1):89-96 - PubMed
  5. Cereb Cortex. 2004 Jun;14(6):647-54 - PubMed
  6. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Jul 5;102(27):9673-8 - PubMed
  7. J Comp Neurol. 1984 Dec 20;230(4):465-96 - PubMed
  8. Neurosci Res. 1994 Nov;21(1):19-39 - PubMed
  9. Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 2003 Oct;43(2):224-30 - PubMed
  10. J Neurosci. 2010 Oct 13;30(41):13906-15 - PubMed
  11. J Cogn Neurosci. 2008 Mar;20(3):458-69 - PubMed
  12. Science. 2007 Jan 19;315(5810):393-5 - PubMed
  13. Neuron. 2006 May 18;50(4):655-63 - PubMed
  14. Ann Hum Biol. 2009 Sep-Oct;36(5):562-72 - PubMed
  15. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Cogn Sci. 2012 Jul;3(4):451-470 - PubMed
  16. J Cogn Neurosci. 2012 Aug;24(8):1742-52 - PubMed
  17. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2002 Aug;3(8):606-16 - PubMed
  18. J Comp Neurol. 1989 Aug 15;286(3):353-75 - PubMed
  19. J Cogn Neurosci. 2002 Jul 1;14(5):785-94 - PubMed
  20. Brain. 2002 Aug;125(Pt 8):1808-14 - PubMed
  21. Trends Cogn Sci. 2013 Apr;17(4):160-5 - PubMed
  22. J Comp Neurol. 1993 Nov 22;337(4):669-89 - PubMed
  23. Neuroimage. 2004 Jan;21(1):436-43 - PubMed
  24. Neuroimage. 2004 Feb;21(2):768-80 - PubMed
  25. Brain. 2006 Mar;129(Pt 3):564-83 - PubMed
  26. Neuroimage. 2011 Mar 1;55(1):225-32 - PubMed
  27. J Cogn Neurosci. 2012 Feb;24(2):475-81 - PubMed
  28. Neuroimage. 2007 Feb 1;34(3):1310-6 - PubMed
  29. Neuroimage. 2011 Aug 15;57(4):1624-9 - PubMed
  30. J Cogn Neurosci. 2011 Sep;23(9):2222-30 - PubMed
  31. Neuroimage. 2002 Oct;17(2):1080-6 - PubMed
  32. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Jan 16;98(2):676-82 - PubMed
  33. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2001 Apr;11(2):231-9 - PubMed
  34. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2006 Jun;1(1):18-25 - PubMed
  35. Neuroimage. 2011 Aug 1;57(3):1221-33 - PubMed
  36. Trends Cogn Sci. 2004 Mar;8(3):102-7 - PubMed
  37. Neuroimage. 2006 May 15;31(1):440-57 - PubMed
  38. Neuroimage. 2011 Jan 1;54(1):361-8 - PubMed
  39. J Cogn Neurosci. 2006 Sep;18(9):1586-94 - PubMed
  40. Neuroimage. 2004 Aug;22(4):1596-604 - PubMed
  41. J Cogn Neurosci. 2009 Mar;21(3):489-510 - PubMed
  42. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2001 Mar;114(3):224-41 - PubMed
  43. J Comp Neurol. 2003 Jun 2;460(3):425-49 - PubMed
  44. Nat Neurosci. 2001 May;4(5):546-50 - PubMed
  45. J Comp Neurol. 1987 Feb 1;256(1):88-103 - PubMed
  46. Eur J Neurosci. 2013 Feb;37(4):598-606 - PubMed
  47. Eur J Neurosci. 1999 Mar;11(3):1011-36 - PubMed
  48. Neuroscience. 2008 Nov 11;157(1):120-31 - PubMed
  49. Neuroimage. 2008 Jul 15;41(4):1437-46 - PubMed
  50. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 Jan 7;100(1):253-8 - PubMed
  51. Cereb Cortex. 2001 Jun;11(6):558-71 - PubMed
  52. Neuroimage. 2005 Apr 1;25(2):616-24 - PubMed
  53. Front Hum Neurosci. 2013 Jun 21;7:289 - PubMed

Publication Types

Grant support