'Theory of mind' in the brain. Evidence from a PET scan study of Asperger syndrome.
The ability to attribute mental states to others ('theory of mind') pervades normal social interaction and is impaired in autistic individuals. In a previous positron emission tomography scan study of normal volunteers, performing a 'theory of mind' task was associated with activity in left medial prefrontal cortex. We used the same paradigm in five patients with Asperger syndrome, a mild variant of autism with normal intellectual functioning. No task-related activity was found in this region, but normal activity was observed in immediately adjacent areas. This result suggests that a highly circumscribed region of left medial prefrontal cortex is a crucial component of the brain system that underlies the normal understanding of other minds.
Happé
F
F
MRC Cognitive Development Unit, London, UK.
Ehlers
S
S
Fletcher
P
P
Frith
U
U
Johansson
M
M
Gillberg
C
C
Dolan
R
R
Frackowiak
R
R
Frith
C
C
D000328:Adult; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000503:physiopathology; D012938:Social Perception; D013577:Syndrome; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed