Neural activation pattern in self-deceivers

While deception is a conscious cognitive effort and self-deception is an unconscious cognitive effort. Such effort possibly shapes the working memory and generates a neural activation pattern in self-deception. Little attempt was made to identify activation pattern in self-deception. The present study investigated the phenomenon of self-deception by increasing the working memory functions using a boxcar design. functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) revealed more activation in bilateral inferior parietal lobule (BA 40), superior parietal lobule (BA 7), middle frontal gyrus (BA 9), medial frontal gyrus (BA 6), thalamus and cerebellum. Activated areas in frontal and parietal cortex suggest significant role of working memory during self-deception.