Neural Correlates of Mental State Attribution A Scoping Review

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Abstract

The paper is a scoping review of Neural Correlates of Mental State Attribution, which explains social cognition, neural correlates, mental state attribution along with the theory of mind. Initially 15 papers were identified and then finally 5 were selected after a screening process. The results of these 5 studies suggest that social cognition and mental state attribution are intricate cognitive processes that engage numerous neural circuits and brain regions. Social cognition refers to the cognitive processes involved in understanding and responding to social information, whereas mental state attribution involves inferring the mental states of others, such as beliefs, desires, and intentions. The ability to infer the mental states of others is linked to increased activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and the temporal-parietal junction, which are responsible for self-referential processing and social perception, respectively. Empathy, on the other hand, is associated with increased activity in the anterior cingulate cortex and the insula, which regulate emotions and interoception. Attributing causes to oneself or others activates different brain regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex, precuneus, superior temporal sulcus, and inferior parietal lobule, depending on the target of attribution. Finally, the studies indicate that damage to certain brain regions, such as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the superior temporal sulcus, can impair social cognition and mental state attribution, with potential implications for treating social deficits in clinical populations.

Key Words: Prefrontal Cortex, Social perception, Neural Correlates, Mental State Attribution, Temporal Sulcus, Parietal Lobule