Self-reference effect

Abstract: The sections in this article are: 1 Essence of Prefrontal Function: Regulation of Behavior by Representational Knowledge 11 Subdivisions of Prefrontal Cortex 12 Global Nature of Prefrontal Syndrome in Humans 13 Animal Model for Prefrontal Function in Humans 14 Delayed-Response Tests and Varying Interpretations of Their Functional Significance 15 Distractability and Perseveration: Secondary Consequences of Basic Defect in Representational Memory 16 Representational Memory in Wisconsin Card Sort and Other Diagnostic Tests of Prefrontal Function in Humans 17 Localization of Delayed-Response Function: Principal Sulcus 18 Circuit Basis of Visuospatial Functions 2 Accessing and “On-Line” Processing of Representations in Visuospatial Domain: Parietal-Prefrontal Connections 21 Visuospatial Representational Memory in Humans 22 Spatial-Mnemonic Nature of Delayed-Response Deficit: Domain-Specific Memory Loss 23 Topography of Representational Memory in Prefrontal Cortex 24 Electrophysiological Evidence of Spatial-Mnemonic Processes in Principal Sulcus 25 Parietal-Prefrontal Connectivity 26 Columnar and Laminar Framework for Feedforward and Feedback Mechanisms 27 Functional Significance of Parietal-Prefrontal Collaboration 3 Long-Term Memory and “Off-Line” Processing: Prefrontal-Limbic Connections 31 Role of Hippocampus in Spatial Memory 32 Multiple Connections Between Principal Sulcus and Hippocampal Formation 33 Quadripartite Neural Network: Parietal-Temporal-Cingulate-Prefrontal Circuit 34 Limbic Contribution to Spatial Memory 4 Response Initiation and Inhibition: Projections to Striatum, Tectum, Thalamus, and Premotor Cortex 41 Motor-Control Functions of Prefrontal Cortex 42 Cortical-Striatal Pathway and Related Feedback Loops 43 Cortical-Tectal Pathway 44 Thalamic-Cortical Systems 45 Prefrontal-Premotor Connections: Anterior Supplementary Motor Cortex Relays 46 Functional Speculations 5 Modulatory Mechanisms: Brain Stem Catecholamine Projections 51 Activation of Cognitive Machinery 52 Concentration and Synthesis of Catecholamines in Primate Cortex 53 Brain Stem Innervation of Prefrontal Cortex 54 Delayed-Response Deficits and Recovery Produced by Catecholamine Loss and Replacement in Prefrontal Cortex 55 Circuit Basis for Neuromodulation in Principal Sulcus 6 Multiple Subsystems of Prefrontal Cortex: Unity or Diversity of Function 61 Unity or Diversity of Prefrontal Function 62 Frontal Eye Fields 63 Inferior Convexity 64 Orbital Prefrontal Cortices 65 Problem of Integration 7 Diseases Affecting Prefrontal Cortex 71 Schizophrenia: Loss of Corticocortical Processing and Regulation of Behavior by Representational Knowledge 72 Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome: Loss of Thalamocortical and Brain Stem Modulatory Mechanisms 73 Huntington's Chorea and Parkinson's Disease: Loss of Prefrontal-Striatal Mechanisms and Initiation or Inhibition of Motor Response 74 Overview of Neurobiology of Disease 8 Summary

Abstract: Researchers have long debated whether knowledge about the self is unique in terms of its functional anatomic representation within the human brain. In the context of memory function, knowledge about the self is typically remembered better than other types of semantic information. But why does this memorial effect emerge? Extending previous research on this topic (see Craik et al., 1999), the present study used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate potential neural substrates of self-referential processing. Participants were imaged while making judgments about trait adjectives under three experimental conditions (self-relevance, other-relevance, or case judgment). Relevance judgments, when compared to case judgments, were accompanied by activation of the left inferior frontal cortex and the anterior cingulate. A separate region of the medial prefrontal cortex was selectively engaged during self-referential processing. Collectively, these findings suggest that self-referential processing is functionally dissociable from other forms of semantic processing within the human brain.

Abstract: The degree to which the self is implicated in processing personal information was investigated. Subjects rated adjectives on four tasks designed to force varying kinds of encoding: structural, phonemic, semantic, and self-reference. In two experiments, incidental recall of the rated words indicated that adjectives rates under the self-reference task were recalled the best. These results indicate that self-reference is a rich and powerful encoding process. As an aspect of the human information-processing system, the self appears to function as a superordinate schema that is deeply involved in the processing, interpretation, and memory of personal information.