The neural processes underlying self-agency
Open accessAbstract
Self-agency (SA) is the individual's perception that an action is the consequence of his/her own intention. The neural networks underlying SA are not well understood. We carried out a novel, ecologically valid, virtual-reality experiment using blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) where SA could be modulated in real-time while subjects performed voluntary finger movements. Behavioral testing was also performed to assess the explicit judgment of SA. Twenty healthy volunteers completed the experiment. Results of the behavioral testing demonstrated paradigm validity along with the identification of a bias that led subjects to over- or underestimate the amount of control they had. The fMRI experiment identified 2 discrete networks. These leading and lagging networks likely represent a spatial and temporal flow of information, with the leading network serving the role of mismatch detection and the lagging network receiving this information and mediating its elevation to conscious awareness, giving rise to SA.
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The AIC is also differentially activated by changes in the sense of agency.
“Interestingly, the AIC is also differentially activated by changes in the sense of agency”
From An Interoceptive Predictive Coding Model of Conscious Presence (2012) · cites this paper as Nahab et al., 2011
The cerebellum is involved in detecting a mismatch between the expected and actual sensory feedback, leading to a feeling of disrupted agency.
“Second, as shown in the previous section, the cerebellum is involved in detecting a mismatch between the expected and actual sensory feedback, leading to a feeling of disrupted agency (Blakemore et al., 2001; Nahab et al., 2011; Seghezzi et al., 2019).”
From The Forward Model: A Unifying Theory for the Role of the Cerebellum in Motor Control and Sense of Agency (2021) · cites this paper as Nahab et al., 2011
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“This perception is referred to as self-agency (SA; Gallagher 2000).”
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An Interoceptive Predictive Coding Model of Conscious Presence
Seth, A. K., Suzuki, K., & Critchley, H. D. (2012) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00395 · Cited by 950 · see citing works
“Interestingly, the AIC is also differentially activated by changes in the sense of agency (Tsakiris et al., 2010; Nahab et al., 2011), supporting a link between mechanisms underlying agency and presence.”
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- Authors
- Nahab, F. B., Kundu, P., Gallea, C., Kakareka, J., Pursley, R., Pohida, T., Miletta, N., Friedman, J., & Hallett, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Miami (US)
- National Institutes of Health (US)
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (US)
- Weizmann Institute of Science (IL)
- Venue
- Cerebral Cortex
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2010-04-08
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 48-55
- ISSN
- 1047-3211 (ISSN-L)
- 1460-2199
- PMC
- PMC3000563
- OpenAlex
- W2161040742
- Cited by
- 197
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 6.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Cerebral Cortex (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Free Will and Agency
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Motor Control and Adaptation
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Keywords
- self-agency, sense of agency, voluntary action, artificial neural networks, virtual reality, mismatch detection, conscious awareness, finger movement
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Cerebral Cortex, Cognition, Female, Humans, Male, Nerve Net, Volition, Personal Autonomy, Young Adult, Executive Function
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