Unveiling the neural network involved in mentally projecting the self through episodic autobiographical memories
Abstract Episodic autobiographical memory involves the ability to travel along the mental timeline, so that events of our own life can be recollected and re-experienced. In the present study, we tested the neural underpinnings of mental travel across past and future autobiographical events by using...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-97515-0 |
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| author | Valentina Sulpizio Alice Teghil Irene Ruffo Gaia Cartocci Federico Giove Maddalena Boccia |
| author_facet | Valentina Sulpizio Alice Teghil Irene Ruffo Gaia Cartocci Federico Giove Maddalena Boccia |
| author_sort | Valentina Sulpizio |
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| description | Abstract Episodic autobiographical memory involves the ability to travel along the mental timeline, so that events of our own life can be recollected and re-experienced. In the present study, we tested the neural underpinnings of mental travel across past and future autobiographical events by using a spatiotemporal interference task. Participants were instructed to mentally travel across past and future personal (Episodic Autobiographical Memories; EAMs) and Public Events (PEs) during Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). We found that a distributed network of brain regions (i.e., occipital, temporal, parietal, frontal, and subcortical regions) is implicated in mental projection across past and future independently from the memory category (EAMs or PEs). Interestingly, we observed that most of these regions exhibited a neural modulation as a function of the lifetime period and/or as a function of the compatibility with a back-to-front mental timeline, specifically for EAMs, indicating the key role of these regions in representing the temporal organization of personal but not public events. Present findings provide insights into how personal events are temporally organized within the human brain. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-95d660d3011344bba0f6bdf4f1614190 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-95d660d3011344bba0f6bdf4f16141902025-08-20T03:18:28ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115111510.1038/s41598-025-97515-0Unveiling the neural network involved in mentally projecting the self through episodic autobiographical memoriesValentina Sulpizio0Alice Teghil1Irene Ruffo2Gaia Cartocci3Federico Giove4Maddalena Boccia5Department of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University of MoliseDepartment of Psychology, Sapienza UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Sapienza UniversityEmergency Radiology Unit, Diagnostic Medicine and Radiology, Umberto I University Hospital, Sapienza University of RomeDepartment of Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging, Santa Lucia Foundation (IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia)Department of Psychology, Sapienza UniversityAbstract Episodic autobiographical memory involves the ability to travel along the mental timeline, so that events of our own life can be recollected and re-experienced. In the present study, we tested the neural underpinnings of mental travel across past and future autobiographical events by using a spatiotemporal interference task. Participants were instructed to mentally travel across past and future personal (Episodic Autobiographical Memories; EAMs) and Public Events (PEs) during Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). We found that a distributed network of brain regions (i.e., occipital, temporal, parietal, frontal, and subcortical regions) is implicated in mental projection across past and future independently from the memory category (EAMs or PEs). Interestingly, we observed that most of these regions exhibited a neural modulation as a function of the lifetime period and/or as a function of the compatibility with a back-to-front mental timeline, specifically for EAMs, indicating the key role of these regions in representing the temporal organization of personal but not public events. Present findings provide insights into how personal events are temporally organized within the human brain.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-97515-0Autobiographical memoryMental timelineFunctional magnetic resonance (fMRI)Psychophysiological interaction (PPI). |
| spellingShingle | Valentina Sulpizio Alice Teghil Irene Ruffo Gaia Cartocci Federico Giove Maddalena Boccia Unveiling the neural network involved in mentally projecting the self through episodic autobiographical memories Scientific Reports Autobiographical memory Mental timeline Functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) Psychophysiological interaction (PPI). |
| title | Unveiling the neural network involved in mentally projecting the self through episodic autobiographical memories |
| title_full | Unveiling the neural network involved in mentally projecting the self through episodic autobiographical memories |
| title_fullStr | Unveiling the neural network involved in mentally projecting the self through episodic autobiographical memories |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unveiling the neural network involved in mentally projecting the self through episodic autobiographical memories |
| title_short | Unveiling the neural network involved in mentally projecting the self through episodic autobiographical memories |
| title_sort | unveiling the neural network involved in mentally projecting the self through episodic autobiographical memories |
| topic | Autobiographical memory Mental timeline Functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) Psychophysiological interaction (PPI). |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-97515-0 |
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