“Hey John”: Signals Conveying Communicative Intention toward the Self Activate Brain Regions Associated with “Mentalizing,” Regardless of Modality

TLDR

Successful communication relies on recognizing communicative intentions, which can be signaled by self‑directed cues such as calling a name or making eye contact, and these cues engage a network of brain regions involved in mentalizing. The study aims to demonstrate that perceiving self‑directed signals, regardless of modality, activates shared mentalizing brain regions. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the authors measured brain activity while participants observed name‑calling and eye contact, revealing bilateral activation of the paracingulate cortex and temporal poles. The activation of this mentalizing network was found to be independent of arousal, as indicated by unchanged pupil diameter.

Abstract

Successful communication between two people depends first on the recognition of the intention to communicate. Such intentions may be conveyed by signals directed at the self, such as calling a person's name or making eye contact. In this study we use functional magnetic resonance imaging to show that the perception of these two signals, which differ in modality and sensory channel, activate common brain regions: the paracingulate cortex and temporal poles bilaterally. These regions are part of a network that has been consistently activated when people are asked to think about the mental states of others. Activation of this network is independent of arousal as measured by changes in pupil diameter.