scholarly journals People and paradigms: mental networks and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorin Friesen
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
Concepts Of God

A mental network can be thought of as an emotionally imposed schema. The first part of this paper suggests that the mental network provides an integrated explanation for the diverse functions of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and that mental networks provide the building blocks for self and Theory of Mind. The second part of the paper combines the mental network with the idea that theories generate emotions to provide an integrated explanation for paradigms, ideologies, sweeping statements, mysticism, theology, fundamentalism, conspiracy theories, and various concepts of God.

The ventromedial prefrontal cortex is involved in understanding affective but not cognitive theory of mind stories

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 149-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone G. Shamay-Tsoory ◽  
Yasmin Tibi-Elhanany ◽  
Judith Aharon-Peretz
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex

Transcranial magnetic stimulation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex impairs theory of mind learning

2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 285-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Lev-Ran ◽  
S.G. Shamay-Tsoory ◽  
A. Zangen ◽  
Y. Levkovitz
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Control Task ◽  
Normal Functioning ◽  
Lesion Studies

AbstractImaging and lesion studies indicate that the prefrontal cortex plays a prominent role in mediating theory of mind (ToM) functioning. Particularly, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) appears to be involved in mediating ToM functioning. This study utilized slow repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the VMPFC in 13 healthy subjects in order to test whether normal functioning of the VMPFC is necessary for ToM functioning. We found that rTMS to the VMPFC, but not sham-rTMS, significantly disrupted ToM learning. Performance on a control task, not involving affective ToM functioning, was not significantly altered after applying rTMS to the VMPFC or sham-rTMS. In an additional experiment, rTMS to the vertex did not significantly affect ToM learning, confirming specificity of the VMPFC region. These findings indicate that the VMPFC is critical for intact ToM learning and shed further light on the concept and localization of ToM in particular and empathic functioning in general.

scholarly journals Damage to the left ventromedial prefrontal cortex impacts affective theory of mind

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 871-880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Leopold ◽  
Frank Krueger ◽  
Olga dal Monte ◽  
Matteo Pardini ◽  
Sarah J. Pulaski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex

scholarly journals Contribution of the right temporoparietal junction and ventromedial prefrontal cortex to theory of mind in autism: A randomized, sham-controlled tDCS study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Ali Salehinejad ◽  
Nasim Paknia ◽  
Amir Hossein Hosseinpour ◽  
Fatemeh Yavari ◽  
Carmelo M. Vicario ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Brain Stimulation ◽  
Cortical Excitability ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Temporoparietal Junction ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Children With Asd

Theory of Mind (ToM) is the ability to attribute subjective mental states to oneself and others and is significantly impaired in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A frontal-posterior network of regions including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and temporoparietal junction (TPJ) is involved in ToM. Previous studies show an underactivation of these regions in ASD. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation method for causally investigating brain-behavior relationships via induction of cortical excitability alterations. tDCS, mostly over the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, has been increasingly applied for improving behavioral problems in ASD. Here we investigated the contribution of the vmPFC and right TPJ in ToM abilities of ASD children via tDCS in a pilot study. Sixteen children with ASD (mean age = 10.7±1.9) underwent three tDCS sessions (1 mA, 20 min) in a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled design. Stimulation protocols included: i) anodal vmPFC tDCS, ii) anodal r-TPJ tDCS, and iii) sham tDCS. ToM abilities were explored during tDCS using the Theory of Mind Test (TOMT). Our results show that activation of the vmPFC with anodal tDCS significantly improved ToM in children with ASD compared to both, r-TPJ tDCS and sham stimulation. Specifically, precursors of ToM (e.g. emotion recognition, perception and imitation) and elementary ToM skills (e.g. first-order mental state reasoning) were significantly improved by anodal vmPFC tDCS. Based on these results, the vmPFC is a potential target region for the reduction of ASD symptoms via non-invasive brain stimulation, which should be examined in larger detail in future studies

scholarly journals Theory of Mind Skills Are Related to Gray Matter Volume in the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex in Schizophrenia

2011 ◽  
Vol 70 (12) ◽  
pp. 1169-1178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine I. Hooker ◽  
Lori Bruce ◽  
Sarah Hope Lincoln ◽  
Melissa Fisher ◽  
Sophia Vinogradov
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Gray Matter ◽  
Gray Matter Volume ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Matter Volume

Age differences in ventromedial prefrontal cortex functional connectivity during socioemotional content processing

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Ryan T. Daley ◽  
Holly J. Bowen ◽  
Eric C. Fields ◽  
Angela Gutchess ◽  
Elizabeth A. Kensinger
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Emotional Content ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Supramarginal Gyrus ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Content Processing

Self-relevance effects are often confounded by the presence of emotional content, rendering it difficult to determine how brain networks functionally connected to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) are affected by the independent contributions of self-relevance and emotion. This difficulty is complicated by age-related changes in functional connectivity between the vmPFC and other default mode network regions, and regions typically associated with externally oriented networks. We asked groups of younger and older adults to imagine placing emotional and neutral objects in their home or a stranger's home. An age-invariant vmPFC cluster showed increased activation for self-relevant and emotional content processing. Functional connectivity analyses revealed age × self-relevance interactions in vmPFC connectivity with the anterior cingulate cortex. There were also age × emotion interactions in vmPFC functional connectivity with the anterior insula, orbitofrontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, and supramarginal gyrus. Interactions occurred in regions with the greatest differences between the age groups, as revealed by conjunction analyses. Implications of the findings are discussed.

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