title: Common and distinct networks for self-referential and social stimulus processing in the human brain.
abstract: Self-referential processing is a complex cognitive function, involving a set of implicit and explicit processes, complicating investigation of its distinct neural signature. The present study explores the functional overlap and dissociability of self-referential and social stimulus processing. We combined an established paradigm for explicit self-referential processing with an implicit social stimulus processing paradigm in one fMRI experiment to determine the neural effects of self-relatedness and social processing within one study. Overlapping activations were found in the orbitofrontal cortex and in the intermediate part of the precuneus. Stimuli judged as self-referential specifically activated the posterior cingulate cortex, the ventral medial prefrontal cortex, extending into anterior cingulate cortex and orbitofrontal cortex, the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex, the ventral and dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, the left inferior temporal gyrus, and occipital cortex. Social processing specifically involved the posterior precuneus and bilateral temporo-parietal junction. Taken together, our data show, not only, first, common networks for both processes in the medial prefrontal and the medial parietal cortex, but also, second, functional differentiations for self-referential processing versus social processing: an anterior-posterior gradient for social processing and self-referential processing within the medial parietal cortex and specific activations for self-referential processing in the medial and lateral prefrontal cortex and for social processing in the temporo-parietal junction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany. dorrit.herold@charite.de.|Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Ruppiner Kliniken, Fehrbelliner Str. 38, 16816, Neuruppin, Germany. dorrit.herold@charite.de.
authors.forename: Dorrit
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Herold
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spengler
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.|Depart of Neurosurgery, Freiburg University Medical Centre, Breisacher Strasse 64, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.|Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Freiburg University Medical Centre, Breisacher Strasse 64, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Bastian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sajonz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Usnich
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.|Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10099, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bermpohl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D012649:Self Concept; D012938:Social Perception
keywords: Healthy brain; Self-referential processing; Social stimulus processing; fMRI