Metacognition

Metacognition is thinking about your thoughts. This superior cognitive function plays a key role in learning, decision making, problem solving and emotion regulation. It is closely related to self-awareness and brain function, especially in the frontal regions.
 

Metacognition: an essential function of the human brain

Metacognition is one of the so-called "executive" functions of the brain. It allows us to:

• assess our knowledge,
• anticipating our mistakes,
• adjusting our learning strategies,
• control our attention,
• and step back from our judgments.

This cognitive self-assessment ability is essential in many situations in daily life, from school to work.

The Brain Bases of Metacognition

Research at the Brain Institute shows that metacognition is based on a complex network of brain regions, specifically:

• the prefrontal cortex, involved in planning, reasoning and self-control,
• the anterior cingulate cortex, which plays a role in error detection and performance evaluation,
• the precuneus, a region related to self-awareness and mental visualization.

Studies in functional brain imaging (fMRI) are now providing a better understanding of the neuronal architecture of this function and its involvement in mental health.

Learning and learning: an asset for better learning

In both children and adults, developing metacognition significantly improves learning abilities. Identifying what you understand and what you don’t understand helps you adapt better, ask for help when needed, and choose more effective methods.

This is why metacognition is a valuable pedagogical tool, especially for pupils with specific language or cognitive impairments.

Metacognitive and mental health

Metacognition is impaired in many neurological and psychiatric disorders. For example:

• in Alzheimer's disease, patients may lose awareness of their cognitive deficits (anosognosis),
• in schizophrenia, the ability to properly assess one’s thoughts may be compromised,
• In anxiety or depressive disorders, metacognitive hypervigilance may reinforce ruminations.

Understanding these mechanisms is a research priority at the Brain Institute, in order to develop targeted therapeutic strategies.

Metacognition a Key Area of Brain Research

At the Paris Brain Institute, metacognition is at the heart of many research programs. Our multidisciplinary teams (neurologists, neuropsychologists, cognitive neuroscientists…) explore how this ability emerges, how it changes with age or disease, and how to stimulate it effectively.