The neurobiology of social cognition.
Recent studies have begun to elucidate the roles played in social cognition by specific neural structures, genes, and neurotransmitter systems. Cortical regions in the temporal lobe participate in perceiving socially relevant stimuli, whereas the amygdala, right somatosensory cortices, orbitofrontal cortices, and cingulate cortices all participate in linking perception of such stimuli to motivation, emotion, and cognition. Open questions remain about the domain-specificity of social cognition, about its overlap with emotion and with communication, and about the methods best suited for its investigation.
Adolphs
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The University of Iowa, Department of Neurology, Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. ralph-adolphs@uiowa.edu
D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009446:Neurobiology; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D012919:Social Behavior; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000502:physiology