Parsing the neural correlates of moral cognition: ALE meta-analysis on morality, theory of mind, and empathy

Bzdok, Danilo; Schilbach, Leonhard; Vogeley, Kai; Schneider, Karla; Laird, Angela R.; Langner, Robert; Eickhoff, Simon B.

doi:10.1007/s00429-012-0380-y

Table 1 Peaks of activations for the brain areas consistently engaged in fMRI studies on moral cognition, theory of mind, and empathy as revealed by ALE meta-analysis

From: Parsing the neural correlates of moral cognition: ALE meta-analysis on morality, theory of mind, and empathy

Macroanatomical ___location	MNI coordinates
Macroanatomical ___location	x	y	z
ALE meta-analysis of moral cognition
Ventromedial prefrontal cortex	4	58	−8
Ventromedial prefrontal cortex	−10	42	−18
Frontopolar cortex	0	62	10
Frontopolar cortex	−6	52	18
Dorsomedial prefrontal cortex	0	54	36
Precuneus	0	−56	34
Right temporo-parietal junction (PGa, PGp)	62	−54	16
Left temporo-parietal junction (PGa, PGp)	−48	−58	22
Right temporal pole	54	8	−28
Right middle temporal gyrus	54	−8	−16
Left amygdala	−22	−2	−24
Posterior cingulate cortex	−4	−26	34
ALE meta-analysis of theory of mind
Ventromedial prefrontal cortex	0	52	−12
Frontopolar cortex	2	58	12
Dorsomedial prefrontal cortex	−8	56	30
Dorsomedial prefrontal cortex	4	58	25
Precuneus	2	−56	30
Right temporo-parietal junction (PGa, PGp)	56	−50	18
Left temporo-parietal junction (PGa, PGp)	−48	−56	24
Right temporal pole	54	−2	−20
Left temporal pole	−54	−2	−24
Right middle temporal gyrus	52	−18	−12
Left middle temporal gyrus	−54	−28	−4
Left middle temporal gyrus	−58	−12	−12
Right posterior superior temporal sulcus	50	−34	0
Left posterior superior temporal sulcus	−58	−44	4
Right inferior frontal gyrus (Area 45)	54	28	6
Left inferior frontal gyrus	−48	30	−12
Right MT/V5	48	−72	8
ALE meta-analysis of empathy
Dorsomedial prefrontal cortex	2	56	18
Dorsomedial prefrontal cortex	−8	54	34
Right anterior insula	36	22	−8
Left anterior insula	−30	20	4
Right inferior frontal gyrus	50	12	−8
Right inferior frontal gyrus (Area 44)	54	16	20
Right inferior frontal gyrus (Area 45)	50	30	4
Left inferior frontal gyrus	−44	24	−6
Supplementary motor area (Area 6)	−4	18	50
Anterior mid-cingulate cortex	−2	28	20
Rostral anterior cingulate cortex	−4	42	18
Posterior cingulate cortex	−2	−32	28
Right temporo-parietal junction (PGp)	52	−58	22
Left temporo-parietal junction (PGa)	−56	−58	22
Right amygdala	22	−2	−16
Right middle temporal gyrus	54	−8	−16
Right posterior superior temporal sulcus	52	−36	2
Left anterior thalamus	−12	−4	12
Right posterior thalamus	6	−32	2
Right hippocampus (SUB)	26	−26	−12
Midbrain	2	−20	−12
Right pallidum	14	4	0

All peaks are assigned to the most probable brain areas as revealed by the SPM Anatomy Toolbox (Eickhoff et al. 2007; Amunts et al. 2005; Geyer 2004; Caspers et al. 2006; Amunts et al. 1999; Eickhoff et al. 2005)

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