Bruns Emily, Scholz Immanuel, Koppe Georgia, Kirsch Peter, Gerchen Martin Fungisai
Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health (ZI), Medical Faculty Mannheim J5, University of Heidelberg, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.
Department of Psychology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jan 16;15(1):2137. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-84445-6.
Belief processing and self-referential processing have been consistently associated with cortical midline structures, and cortical regions such as the vmPFC have been implicated in general belief processing. The neural correlates of self-referential belief are yet to be investigated. In this fMRI study, we presented 120 statements with trait adjectives to N = 27 healthy participants, who subsequently judged whether they believed these trait adjectives applied to themselves, a close person, or a public person. Thereafter, participants rated their certainty in this judgment. Expectedly, self-referential processing evoked a large cluster in the vmPFC, ACC, and dmPFC. For belief, we found a cluster in the vmPFC, ACC, and amPFC during statement presentation, partially overlapping with that for self-referential processing. The cluster for self-belief vs. disbelief was similar in location and size to that for general belief processing. For uncertainty, we found dmPFC activation. We replicated vmPFC involvement in belief processing and found a common neural correlate for belief and self-belief in the vmPFC. Furthermore, we replicated the role of the dmPFC in uncertainty, supporting a dual neural process model of belief and certainty.
信念加工和自我参照加工一直与皮质中线结构相关，并且诸如腹内侧前额叶皮层（vmPFC）等皮质区域已被认为与一般信念加工有关。自我参照信念的神经关联尚待研究。在这项功能磁共振成像（fMRI）研究中，我们向N = 27名健康参与者呈现了120条带有特质形容词的陈述，随后他们判断自己是否相信这些特质形容词适用于自己、亲密的人或公众人物。此后，参与者对他们在该判断中的确定程度进行评分。不出所料，自我参照加工在腹内侧前额叶皮层、前扣带回皮层（ACC）和背内侧前额叶皮层（dmPFC）中引发了一个大的簇。对于信念，我们在陈述呈现期间在腹内侧前额叶皮层、前扣带回皮层和杏仁核前区（amPFC）中发现了一个簇，部分与自我参照加工的簇重叠。自我信念与不信信念的簇在位置和大小上与一般信念加工的簇相似。对于不确定性，我们发现了背内侧前额叶皮层的激活。我们重复了腹内侧前额叶皮层在信念加工中的参与，并在腹内侧前额叶皮层中发现了信念和自我信念的共同神经关联。此外，我们重复了背内侧前额叶皮层在不确定性中的作用，支持了信念和确定性的双重神经过程模型。
