One brain, two selves.
Having a sense of self is an explicit and high-level functional specialization of the human brain. The anatomical localization of self-awareness and the brain mechanisms involved in consciousness were investigated by functional neuroimaging different emotional mental states of core consciousness in patients with Multiple Personality Disorder (i.e., Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)). We demonstrate specific changes in localized brain activity consistent with their ability to generate at least two distinct mental states of self-awareness, each with its own access to autobiographical trauma-related memory. Our findings reveal the existence of different regional cerebral blood flow patterns for different senses of self. We present evidence for the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and the posterior associative cortices to have an integral role in conscious experience.
Reinders
A A T S
AA
Department of Biological Psychiatry, Groningen University Hospital, The Netherlands. a.a.t.s.reinders@med.rug.nl
Nijenhuis
E R S
ER
Paans
A M J
AM
Korf
J
J
Willemsen
A T M
AT
den Boer
J A
JA
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D009105:Dissociative Identity Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000523:psychology