School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Brain Cogn. 2010 Mar;72(2):244-54. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2009.09.006. Epub 2009 Oct 24.
The neural basis of self-recognition is mainly studied using brain-imaging techniques which reveal much about the localization of self-processing in the brain. There are comparatively few studies using EEG which allow us to study the time course of self-recognition. In this study, participants monitored a sequence of images, including 20 distinct images of their own face, a friend's face and a stranger's face articulating different speech sounds, while EEG was recorded from 64 scalp electrodes. Differences in the ERP waveforms were observed very early on, with increased N170 and VPP amplitude to self relative to both friend and stranger measured over posterior and fronto-central sites, respectively. This 'self effect' was also marked at approximately 250ms where P2/N2 amplitude was significantly reduced for self-faces. By comparison, differences between friend and stranger faces did not emerge until 250ms and beyond, where a more conventional 'familiarity effect' was observed. The data also point to a 'less lateralized' representation of self over posterior sites. These findings are consistent with both behavioral and fMRI studies which suggest that self-face processing is 'special' and are discussed with reference to EEG studies of face processing.
自我识别的神经基础主要使用脑成像技术进行研究，这些技术揭示了大脑中自我加工的定位。使用 EEG 进行的研究相对较少，这使我们能够研究自我识别的时间进程。在这项研究中，参与者监测了一系列图像，包括 20 张自己的脸、一个朋友的脸和一个陌生人的脸的独特图像，以及他们说出不同语音的图像，同时从 64 个头皮电极记录 EEG。观察到 ERP 波形很早就存在差异，与朋友和陌生人相比，自我面孔的 N170 和 VPP 振幅分别在后部和额-中央部位增加。这种“自我效应”也在大约 250ms 时标记出来，此时 P2/N2 振幅显著降低。相比之下，朋友和陌生人面孔之间的差异直到 250ms 及以后才出现，此时观察到更传统的“熟悉效应”。数据还表明，自我在后部区域的表示“不那么偏侧化”。这些发现与行为和 fMRI 研究一致，这些研究表明自我面孔处理是“特殊的”，并参考面孔处理的 EEG 研究进行了讨论。
