Bejanin, Alexandre

Neural substrates for theory of mind - 2016.


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Theory of mind corresponds to the ability to infer and represent another person's mental states. It is on the basis of these mental states that we are able to give meaning to others’ actions. For over twenty years now, several functional neuroimaging studies have explored the neural correlates underlying this ability. Despite the diversity of the experimental paradigms and the evolution of brain neuroimaging techniques, these studies have constantly reported the involvement of some brain regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex, the temporo-parietal junction, and the temporal poles. In this article, we will review how this literature, together with studies of brain-damaged patients, has contributed to a further understanding of the neural substrates of theory of mind.