Localizing Pain Matrix and Theory of Mind networks with both verbal and non-verbal stimuli
Open accessAbstract
Functional localizer tasks allow researchers to identify brain regions in each individual's brain, using a combination of anatomical and functional constraints. In this study, we compare three social cognitive localizer tasks, designed to efficiently identify regions in the "Pain Matrix," recruited in response to a person's physical pain, and the "Theory of Mind network," recruited in response to a person's mental states (i.e. beliefs and emotions). Participants performed three tasks: first, the verbal false-belief stories task; second, a verbal task including stories describing physical pain versus emotional suffering; and third, passively viewing a non-verbal animated movie, which included segments depicting physical pain and beliefs and emotions. All three localizers were efficient in identifying replicable, stable networks in individual subjects. The consistency across tasks makes all three tasks viable localizers. Nevertheless, there were small reliable differences in the location of the regions and the pattern of activity within regions, hinting at more specific representations. The new localizers go beyond those currently available: first, they simultaneously identify two functional networks with no additional scan time, and second, the non-verbal task extends the populations in whom functional localizers can be applied. These localizers will be made publicly available.
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The theory of mind network is a set of brain regions engaged when a person attempts to infer somebody's mental state, with or without language.
“The most relevant to our current discussion is the theory of mind network [178], a set of brain regions that are engaged when their owner is attempting to infer somebody’s mental state (with our without the use of language; [179, 180]).”
From Dissociating language and thought in large language models (2024) · cites this paper as [180]
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Dissociating language and thought in large language models
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- Authors
- Jacoby, N., Bruneau, E., Koster-Hale, J., & Saxe, R.
- Affiliations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
- Harvard University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Jacoby, Nir
- Venue
- NeuroImage
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2016-02
- Volume
- 126
- Pages
- 39-48
- ISSN
- 1053-8119 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4733571
- OpenAlex
- W2210361125
- Cited by
- 141
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 22 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 2.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- NeuroImage (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- DSpace@MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PMC
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (1R01 MH096914-01A1)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Pain Management and Placebo Effect
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
- Keywords
- pain matrix, social cognition, bodily pain, emotional pain, nonverbal stimuli, individual differences
- MeSH terms
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Adolescent, Adult, Brain Mapping, Empathy, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Nerve Net, Cerebrum, Young Adult, Theory of Mind, Pain Perception
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