The neural correlates of visual self-recognition.

TLDR: It is argued that a major aim of future research in the field should be to identify more clearly the cognitive operations induced by the perception of the self-face, and search for dissociations between neural correlates and cognitive components.

About: This article is published in Consciousness and Cognition.The article was published on 2011-03-01 and is currently open access. It has received 167 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Cognitive neuropsychology & Neural correlates of consciousness.

Figures

Table 1. Summary of methods used in previous neuroimaging studies.

Figure 1. Percentage of activation reported in cerebral areas in each hemipshere on all activations reported in previous neuroimaging studies: (a) all studies comparing self-face processing to another face processing collapsed; (b) in studies comparing self-face processing to famili r face processing; (c) in studies comparing self-face

Frequently asked questions

Q1. What is the role of the precuneus in the development of self-recogni?

According to Uddin et al. (2007), because it is part of the cortical midline structures network and because it has direct connections with the posterior component of the mirror neurons system (i.e. the inferior parietal lobule), the precuneus would allow interactions between these two networks and would be of high importance in the elaboration of integrated information about oneself. 

Q2. Why was this finding interpreted as reflecting right hemisphere dominance of self-face?

Because of contralateral motor control, this finding was interpreted as reflecting right hemisphere dominance of self-face recognition. 

Q3. What is the role of the prefrontal cortex in the self-recognition process?

Uddin et al. (2007) suggested that a second network involving the midline cortical structures and overlapping with some areas of a “default-mode” network including the ventral and dorsal prefrontal cortex, the precuneus and posterior lateral cortices would play a role in more abstract self- and other-related processing, in terms of mental states attribution and evaluation. 

Q4. What is the role of the frontal cortex in the construction of a sense of self?

Various regions within the frontal cortex as well as the insula and the cingulate cortex have also been hypothesized to play a role in the construction of an abstract representation of oneself (i.e. a sense of “me”), independently of the type of stimulus presented or of the sensorial modality stimulated (see e.g. 

Q5. What kind of task was used with another split brain patient?

The same kind of task of self/other judgment from morphs was also used with another split brain patient (Keenan, Wheeler, Platek, Lardi, & Lassonde, 2003). 

Q6. What is the main reason why the authors think that self-face recognition is an ideal stimulus?

The authors think that if a study is aimed at determining which brain regions are selectively involved in complex cognitive operations such as mental travel in the past and the future, or mentalizing, then stimuli and procedures that are specifically designed to tap these functions should be used rather than using a self-face recognition task. 

Q7. What is the effect of self-recognition on the observer?

If a discrepancy is found between the perceived and the ideal representation of the self-face, then the observer can experience negative emotions or feelings such as embarrassment.