Skip to main content Skip to search
Fractionating theory of mind: A meta-analysis of functional brain imaging studies
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
Short Title: Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
Format: Journal Article
Publication Date: 2014/05/01/
Pages: 9 - 34
Sources ID: 38981
Collection: Theory of Mind
Visibility: Public (group default)
Abstract: (Show)
We meta-analyzed imaging studies on theory of mind and formed individual task groups based on stimuli and instructions. Overlap in brain activation between all task groups was found in the mPFC and in the bilateral posterior TPJ. This supports the idea of a core network for theory of mind that is activated whenever we are reasoning about mental states, irrespective of the task- and stimulus-formats (Mar, 2011). In addition, we found a number of task-related activation differences surrounding this core-network. ROI based analyses show that areas in the TPJ, the mPFC, the precuneus, the temporal lobes and the inferior frontal gyri have distinct profiles of task-related activation. Functional accounts of these areas are reviewed and discussed with respect to our findings.