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Cited by 930Philosophy and Theoretical ScienceNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesMind wandering and attention

Neural correlates of self-reflection

Johnson, S. C.·2002·Brain
DOI 10.1093/brain/awf181
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Abstract

The capacity to reflect on one's sense of self is an important component of self-awareness. In this paper, we investigate some of the neurocognitive processes underlying reflection on the self using functional MRI. Eleven healthy volunteers were scanned with echoplanar imaging using the blood oxygen level-dependent contrast method. The task consisted of aurally delivered statements requiring a yes-no decision. In the experimental condition, participants responded to a variety of statements requiring knowledge of and reflection on their own abilities, traits and attitudes (e.g. 'I forget important things', 'I'm a good friend', 'I have a quick temper'). In the control condition, participants responded to statements requiring a basic level of semantic knowledge (e.g. 'Ten seconds is more than a minute', 'You need water to live'). The latter condition was intended to control for auditory comprehension, attentional demands, decision-making, the motoric response, and any common retrieval processes. Individual analyses revealed consistent anterior medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate activation for all participants. The overall activity for the group, using a random-effects model, occurred in anterior medial prefrontal cortex (t = 13.0, corrected P = 0.05; x, y, z, 0, 54, 8, respectively) and the posterior cingulate (t = 14.7, P = 0.02; x, y, z, -2, -62, 32, respectively; 967 voxel extent). These data are consistent with lesion studies of impaired awareness, and suggest that the medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate cortex are part of a neural system subserving self-reflective thought.

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  • Functional MRI tasks tapping into self-referential cognition activate overlapping brain regions as those modulated by meditation, including the insula, prefrontal cortex (PFC), cingulum and amygdala.

    “functional MRI (fMRI) tasks tapping into self-referential cognition activate overlapping brain regions as those modulated by meditation, including the insula, prefrontal cortex (PFC), cingulum and amygdala.22–24”

    From Distinct and shared therapeutic neural mechanisms of mindfulness-based and social support stress reduction groups in adults with autism spectrum disorder (2023) · cites this paper as [23]

  • Self-reflection and self-imagery activate the ventral part of the posterior cingulate cortex.

    “Self-reflection and self-imagery activate the ventral part of the posterior cingulate cortex (the part with which we will be mainly concerned here) (Kircher et al., 2000, 2002; Johnson et al., 2002; Sugiura et al., 2005).”

    From The orbitofrontal cortex: reward, emotion and depression (2020) · cites this paper as Johnson et al., 2002

  • A vMPFC region was obtained from the random effects contrast of self > other trials in the explicit self-reference task.

    “Consistent with earlier studies (15-18), a single region was obtained from the random effects contrast of self > other trials located in vMPFC (Fig. 1).”

    From Repetition suppression of ventromedial prefrontal activity during judgments of self and others (2008) · cites this paper as [18]

  • vMPFC is also engaged during tasks that require participants to introspect about their own mental experiences.

    “Critically, this vMPFC region also has been observed repeatedly during tasks that require participants to introspect about their own mental experiences (15-18)”

    From Repetition suppression of ventromedial prefrontal activity during judgments of self and others (2008) · cites this paper as [18]

  • Using two different sets of contrasts, we identified ROIs in vMPFC that, consistent with earlier studies of self-reference (15-18), responded preferentially during trials that required introspection about one's own mental characteristics.

    “Using two different sets of contrasts, we identified ROIs in vMPFC that, consistent with earlier studies of self-reference (15-18), responded preferentially during trials that required introspection about one's own mental characteristics.”

    From Repetition suppression of ventromedial prefrontal activity during judgments of self and others (2008) · cites this paper as [18]

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Authors
Johnson, S. C.
Affiliations
Barrow Neurological Institute (US)
Corresponding author
Johnson, S. C.
ORCID
Johnson, S. C.
Venue
Brain
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2002-08-01
Volume
125
Issue
8
Pages
1808-1814
ISSN
  • 0006-8950 (ISSN-L)
  • 1460-2156
DOI
10.1093/brain/awf181
OpenAlex
W2141183879
Cited by
930
References
40
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 46 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 33 · 2015: 38 · 2014: 50 · 2013: 48 · 2012: 65
FWCI
42.25
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Brain (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (1r03ag018540-01)
  • National Institute on Aging (AG18540)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH065723, MH65723)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Philosophy and Theoretical Science
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Mind wandering and attention
Keywords
self-reflection, self-awareness, self-knowledge, anterior medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, neural correlates, self-referential processing, impaired awareness, BOLD fMRI
MeSH terms
Adult, Brain, Brain Mapping, Cognition, Educational Status, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Neurons, Surveys and Questionnaires, Social Behavior, Thinking

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