Self-referential belief shares common neural correlates with general belief

• Published in: Scientific reports 2025-01, Vol.15 (1), p.2137-12, Article 2137
• Main Authors: Bruns, Emily, Scholz, Immanuel, Koppe, Georgia, Kirsch, Peter, Gerchen, Martin Fungisai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/378/2645; 631/378/2649; Adult; Brain Mapping; Culture; Dorsomedial prefrontal cortex; Female; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Information processing; Judgment - physiology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; multidisciplinary; Prefrontal Cortex - diagnostic imaging; Prefrontal Cortex - physiology; Replication; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Self Concept; Self-referential belief; Uncertainty; Ventromedial prefrontal cortex; Young Adult
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• 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.