The neural bases of the self-reference effect in memory
Wagner, U., N'Diaye, K., and Vuilleumier, P.
Laboratory for Neurology and Imaging of Cognition, University of Geneva, Switzerland
Information related to the self is subjected to privileged processing. In memory research, this has been demonstrated by the so-called "self-reference effect" (SRE), indicating enhanced memory for material that has been linked to the self during encoding as compared to otherwise encoded material. Here, using fMRI, we investigated the neural bases of this effect. Subjects were scanned while reading and judging adjectives according to how much they apply to themselves ("self") or to their best friend ("other"), or how many syllables they contained ("syllables"). Ten weeks after scanning, subjects underwent a surprise recognition memory test for the adjectives. There was a clear SRE, with significantly better memory for adjectives in the "self" condition than in the two other conditions. Preliminary fMRI analyses, contrasting remembered versus forgotten items ("difference due to memory" effect), point to medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) activation specifically related to successful remembering of adjectives in the "self" condition.