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Battaglia S, Nazzi C, Di Fazio C, Borgomaneri S. The role of pre-supplementary motor cortex in action control with emotional stimuli: A repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation study. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1536:151-166. [PMID: 38751225 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2024]
Abstract
Swiftly halting ongoing motor actions is essential to react to unforeseen and potentially perilous circumstances. However, the neural bases subtending the complex interplay between emotions and motor control have been scarcely investigated. Here, we used an emotional stop signal task (SST) to investigate whether specific neural circuits engaged by action suppression are differently modulated by emotional signals with respect to neutral ones. Participants performed an SST before and after the administration of one session of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the pre-supplementary motor cortex (pre-SMA), the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG), and the left primary motor cortex (lM1). Results show that rTMS over the pre-SMA improved the ability to inhibit prepotent action (i.e., better action control) when emotional stimuli were presented. In contrast, action control in a neutral context was fostered by rTMS over the rIFG. No changes were observed after lM1 stimulation. Intriguingly, individuals with higher impulsivity traits exhibited enhanced motor control when facing neutral stimuli following rIFG stimulation. These results further our understanding of the interplay between emotions and motor functions, shedding light on the selective modulation of neural pathways underpinning these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Battaglia
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
| | - Claudio Nazzi
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
| | - Chiara Di Fazio
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
| | - Sara Borgomaneri
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
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2
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Ciricugno A, Ferrari C, Battelli L, Cattaneo Z. A chronometric study of the posterior cerebellum's function in emotional processing. Curr Biol 2024; 34:1844-1852.e3. [PMID: 38565141 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The posterior cerebellum is a recently discovered hub of the affective and social brain, with different subsectors contributing to different social functions. However, very little is known about when the posterior cerebellum plays a critical role in social processing. Due to its location and anatomy, it has been difficult to use traditional approaches to directly study the chronometry of the cerebellum. To address this gap in cerebellar knowledge, here we investigated the causal contribution of the posterior cerebellum to social processing using a chronometric transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) approach. We show that the posterior cerebellum is recruited at an early stage of emotional processing (starting from 100 ms after stimulus onset), simultaneously with the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), a key node of the social brain. Moreover, using a condition-and-perturb TMS approach, we found that the recruitment of the pSTS in emotional processing is dependent on cerebellar activation. Our results are the first to shed light on chronometric aspects of cerebellar function and its causal functional connectivity with other nodes of the social brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ciricugno
- IRCCS C. Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino, Pavia 27100, Italy; Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, Pavia 27100, Italy
| | - Chiara Ferrari
- IRCCS C. Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino, Pavia 27100, Italy; Department of Humanities, University of Pavia, Piazza Botta 6, Pavia 27100, Italy
| | - Lorella Battelli
- Department of Neurology, Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Kirstein Building KS 158, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems@UniTn, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Corso Bettini 31, Rovereto 38068, Italy
| | - Zaira Cattaneo
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Piazzale S. Agostino 2, Bergamo 24129, Italy.
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3
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Vuong V, Hewan P, Perron M, Thaut MH, Alain C. The neural bases of familiar music listening in healthy individuals: An activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 154:105423. [PMID: 37839672 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that the neural activations during music listening differs as a function of familiarity with the excerpts. However, the implicated brain areas are unclear. After an extensive literature search, we conducted an Activation Likelihood Estimation analysis on 23 neuroimaging studies (232 foci, 364 participants) to identify consistently activated brain regions when healthy adults listen to familiar music, compared to unfamiliar music or an equivalent condition. The results revealed a left cortical-subcortical co-activation pattern comprising three significant clusters localized to the supplementary motor areas (BA 6), inferior frontal gyrus (IFG, BA 44), and the claustrum/insula. Our results are discussed in a predictive coding framework, whereby temporal expectancies and familiarity may drive motor activations, despite any overt movement. Though conventionally associated with syntactic violation, our observed activation in the IFG may support a recent proposal of its involvement in a network that subserves both violation and prediction. Finally, the claustrum/insula plays an integral role in auditory processing, functioning as a hub that integrates sensory and limbic information to (sub)cortical structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Vuong
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, ON M6A 2E1, Canada; Music and Health Research Collaboratory, Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 2C5, Canada.
| | - Patrick Hewan
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Maxime Perron
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, ON M6A 2E1, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Michael H Thaut
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; Music and Health Research Collaboratory, Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 2C5, Canada; Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Claude Alain
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, ON M6A 2E1, Canada; Music and Health Research Collaboratory, Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 2C5, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada
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4
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Bornstein MH, Esposito G. Coregulation: A Multilevel Approach via Biology and Behavior. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1323. [PMID: 37628322 PMCID: PMC10453544 DOI: 10.3390/children10081323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
In this article, we explore the concept of coregulation, which encompasses the mutual adaptation between partners in response to one another's biology and behavior. Coregulation operates at both biological (hormonal and nervous system) and behavioral (affective and cognitive) levels and plays a crucial role in the development of self-regulation. Coregulation extends beyond the actions of individuals in a dyad and involves interactive contributions of both partners. We use as an example parent-child coregulation, which is pervasive and expected, as it emerges from shared genetic relatedness, cohabitation, continuous interaction, and the influence of common factors like culture, which facilitate interpersonal coregulation. We also highlight the emerging field of neural attunement, which investigates the coordination of brain-based neural activities between individuals, particularly in social interactions. Understanding the mechanisms and significance of neural attunement adds a new dimension to our understanding of coregulation and its implications for parent-child relationships and child development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc H. Bornstein
- Child and Family Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Gianluca Esposito
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Trento, Italy;
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Luis EO, Martínez M, Akrivou K, Scalzo G, Aoiz M, Orón Semper JV. The role of empathy in shared intentionality: Contributions from Inter-Processual Self theory. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1079950. [PMID: 36968699 PMCID: PMC10036387 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1079950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Research in psychology related to the conceptualization of empathy has been on the rise in the last decades. However, we argue that there is still space for further research to help capture the important notion of empathy and its theoretical and conceptual depth. Following a critical review of the current state of the research that conceptualizes and measures empathy, we focus on works that highlight the importance of a shared vision and its relevance in psychology and neuroscience. Considering the state of the art of current neuroscientific and psychological approaches to empathy, we argue for the relevance of shared intention and shared vision in empathy-related actions. Upon review of different models that emphasize a shared vision for informing research on empathy, we suggest that a newly developed theory of self, human growth and action–the so-called Inter-Processual Self theory (IPS)–can significantly and novelly inform the theorization on empathy beyond what the literature has stated to date. Then, we show how an understanding of integrity as a relational act that requires empathy is an essential mechanism for current key research on empathy and its related concepts and models. Ultimately, we aim to present IPS as a distinctive proposal to expand upon the conceptualization of empathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elkin O. Luis
- Psychological Processes in Education and Health Group, School of Education and Psychology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Methods and Research in Affective and Cognitive Psychology, School of Education and Psychology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Martín Martínez
- Methods and Research in Affective and Cognitive Psychology, School of Education and Psychology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Kleio Akrivou
- Henley Business School, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Kleio Akrivou,
| | - Germán Scalzo
- School of Business, Universidad Panamericana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Martín Aoiz
- Institute of Modern Languages, School of Education and Psychology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
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6
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Gao Y, Chonpracha P, Li B, Prinyawiwatkul W. Effects of other people's facial emotional expression on consumers' perceptions of chocolate chip cookies containing cricket protein. J Food Sci 2023; 88:185-204. [PMID: 36658671 DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.16469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Edible insects are recognized as a potential alternative and sustainable source of high-quality protein for the human diet. Entomophagy is highly related to negative emotions that may cause reluctance to adopt insects as food in Western countries. During human interaction, a person's facial emotional expression (FEE) may influence other people's emotional responses. A person's emotional state may affect his/her food preference and food choice. Understanding how other people's FEE would affect consumers' emotional profiles, liking, and subsequent willingness to try (WTT) and purchase intent (PI) toward insect-containing food products may help increase the acceptance of entomophagy. This study identified emotional responses toward chocolate chip cookies containing cricket protein using valence and arousal scales in order to explore the effects of other people's FEE (positive, negative, and/or sensation seeking) and to find the correlation between consumers' emotional and overall liking (OL) responses for cricket-containing chocolate chip cookies. Predicting PI for such cookies was also performed. For consumers who perceived positive emotion from other people's FEE after watching a short video clip, their emotional feeling was raised on both valence and arousal dimensions, while negative FEE stimulus imparted the opposite effects. The OL scores and emotional intensities after watching the three FEE videos were highly related to consumers' PI. Males compared to females rated the cricket-containing cookies higher on positive emotion intensity, OL, and PI. Among the three FEEs evaluated, the positive emotional stimulus would be beneficial in increasing acceptance, WTT, and PI of insect-containing foods. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Edible insects are potentially alternative and sustainable sources of high-quality protein for the human diet. Entomophagy is highly related to negative emotions that cause reluctance to adopt insects as food in Western countries. Other people's facial emotional expressions (FEEs) may affect consumer food-evoked emotional profiles, overall liking (OL), and purchase intent (PI). For consumers who perceived positive emotion from other people's FEE, their emotional feeling was raised on both valence and arousal dimensions, and OL scores and emotion intensities were highly related to consumers' PI. Exploiting positive emotional stimuli as demonstrated in this study would be beneficial in increasing acceptance of insect-containing food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yupeng Gao
- School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Pitchayapat Chonpracha
- School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Bin Li
- Department of Experimental Statistics, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Witoon Prinyawiwatkul
- School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
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7
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Saarinen A, Keltikangas-Järvinen L, Ravaja N. Ethnicity, minority status, and inter-group bias: A systematic meta-analysis on fMRI studies. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 16:1072345. [PMID: 36684846 PMCID: PMC9852837 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.1072345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction This meta-analysis investigated (1) whether ethnic minority and majority members have a neural inter-group bias toward each other, and (2) whether various ethnic groups (i.e., White, Black, and Asian) are processed in the brain differently by the other respective ethnicities. Methods A systematic coordinate-based meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies was conducted using Web of Science, PubMed, and PsycINFO (altogether 50 datasets, n = 1211, 50.1% female). Results We found that ethnic minority members did not show any signs of neural inter-group bias (e.g., no majority-group derogation). Ethnic majority members, in turn, expressed biased responses toward minority (vs. majority) members in frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital regions that are known to be involved in e.g., facial processing, attention, and perspective-taking. We also found differences in neural response patterns toward different ethnic groups (White, Black, and Asian); broadest biases in neural response patterns were evident toward Black individuals (in non-Black individuals). Heterogeneity was mostly minor or low. Discussion Overall, the findings increase understanding of neural processes involved in ethnicity perception and cognition as well as ethnic prejudices and discrimination. This meta-analysis provides explanations for previous behavioral reports on ethnic discrimination toward minority groups.
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8
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Kleiser R, Raffelsberger T, Trenkler J, Meckel S, Seitz R. What influence do face masks have on reading emotions in faces? NEUROIMAGE: REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ynirp.2022.100141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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9
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Rovetti J, Copelli F, Russo FA. Audio and visual speech emotion activate the left pre-supplementary motor area. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:291-303. [PMID: 34811708 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00961-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sensorimotor brain areas have been implicated in the recognition of emotion expressed on the face and through nonverbal vocalizations. However, no previous study has assessed whether sensorimotor cortices are recruited during the perception of emotion in speech-a signal that includes both audio (speech sounds) and visual (facial speech movements) components. To address this gap in the literature, we recruited 24 participants to listen to speech clips produced in a way that was either happy, sad, or neutral in expression. These stimuli also were presented in one of three modalities: audio-only (hearing the voice but not seeing the face), video-only (seeing the face but not hearing the voice), or audiovisual. Brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography, subjected to independent component analysis, and source-localized. We found that the left presupplementary motor area was more active in response to happy and sad stimuli than neutral stimuli, as indexed by greater mu event-related desynchronization. This effect did not differ by the sensory modality of the stimuli. Activity levels in other sensorimotor brain areas did not differ by emotion, although they were greatest in response to visual-only and audiovisual stimuli. One possible explanation for the pre-SMA result is that this brain area may actively support speech emotion recognition by using our extensive experience expressing emotion to generate sensory predictions that in turn guide our perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Rovetti
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Fran Copelli
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Frank A Russo
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada.
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10
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Neuromodulation of facial emotion recognition in health and disease: A systematic review. Neurophysiol Clin 2022; 52:183-201. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neucli.2022.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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11
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Luis EO, Akrivou K, Bermejo-Martins E, Scalzo G, Orón JV. The Interprocessual-Self Theory in Support of Human Neuroscience Studies. Front Psychol 2022; 12:686928. [PMID: 35153881 PMCID: PMC8832125 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.686928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Rather than occurring abstractly (autonomously), ethical growth occurs in interpersonal relationships (IRs). It requires optimally functioning cognitive processes [attention, working memory (WM), episodic/autobiographical memory (AM), inhibition, flexibility, among others], emotional processes (physical contact, motivation, and empathy), processes surrounding ethical, intimacy, and identity issues, and other psychological processes (self-knowledge, integration, and the capacity for agency). Without intending to be reductionist, we believe that these aspects are essential for optimally engaging in IRs and for the personal constitution. While they are all integrated into our daily life, in research and academic work, it is hard to see how they are integrated. Thus, we need better theoretical frameworks for studying them. That study and integration thereof are undertaken differently depending on different views of what it means to live as a human being. We rely on neuroscientific data to support the chosen theory to offer knowledge to understand human beings and interpersonal relational growth. We should of course note that to describe what makes up the uniqueness of being, acting, and growing as a human person involves something much more profound which requires too, a methodology that opens the way for a theory of the person that responds to the concerns of philosophy and philosophical anthropology from many disciplines and methods (Orón Semper, 2015; Polo, 2015), but this is outside the scope of this study. With these in mind, this article aims to introduce a new explanatory framework, called the Interprocessual-self (IPS), for the neuroscientific findings that allow for a holistic consideration of the previously mentioned processes. Contributing to the knowledge of personal growth and avoiding a reductionist view, we first offer a general description of the research that supports the interrelation between personal virtue in IRs and relevant cognitive, emotional, and ethic-moral processes. This reveals how relationships allow people to relate ethically and grow as persons. We include conceptualizations and descriptions of their neural bases. Secondly, with the IPS model, we explore neuroscientific findings regarding self-knowledge, integration, and agency, all psychological processes that stimulate inner exploration of the self concerning the other. We find that these fundamental conditions can be understood from IPS theory. Finally, we explore situations that involve the integration of two levels, namely the interpersonal one and the social contexts of relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elkin O. Luis
- Psychological Processes in Education and Health Group, School of Education and Psychology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Kleio Akrivou
- Henley Business School, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
| | - Elena Bermejo-Martins
- Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
- Department of Community Nursing and Midwifery, School of Nursing, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Germán Scalzo
- School of Business, Universidad Panamericana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - José Víctor Orón
- Fundación UpToYou Educación, Zaragoza, Spain
- *Correspondence: José Víctor Orón,
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12
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Fehlbaum LV, Borbás R, Paul K, Eickhoff SB, Raschle NM. Early and Late Neural Correlates of Mentalizing: ALE Meta-Analyses in Adults, Children and Adolescents. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 17:351-366. [PMID: 34545389 PMCID: PMC8972312 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsab105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to understand mental states of others is referred to as mentalizing and enabled by our Theory of Mind. This social skill relies on brain regions comprising the mentalizing network, as robustly observed in adults, but also in a growing number of developmental studies. We summarized and compared neuroimaging evidence in children/adolescents and adults during mentalizing using coordinate-based activation likelihood estimation meta-analyses to inform about brain regions consistently or differentially engaged across age categories. Adults (N = 5286) recruited medial prefrontal and middle/inferior frontal cortices, precuneus, temporoparietal junction and middle temporal gyri during mentalizing, which were functionally connected to bilateral inferior/superior parietal lobule and thalamus/striatum. Conjunction and contrast analyses revealed that children and adolescents (N = 479) recruit similar, but fewer regions within core mentalizing regions. Subgroup analyses revealed an early continuous engagement of middle medial prefrontal cortex, precuneus and right temporoparietal junction in younger children (8-11y) and adolescents (12-18y). Adolescents additionally recruited the left temporoparietal junction and middle/inferior temporal cortex. Overall, the observed engagement of the medial prefrontal cortex, precuneus and right temporoparietal junction during mentalizing across all ages reflects an early specialization of some key regions of the social brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn V Fehlbaum
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Basel, Psychiatric University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Réka Borbás
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Basel, Psychiatric University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Katharina Paul
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Basel, Psychiatric University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Jülich, Germany
| | - Nora M Raschle
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Basel, Psychiatric University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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13
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Liu M, Liu CH, Zheng S, Zhao K, Fu X. Reexamining the neural network involved in perception of facial expression: A meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:179-191. [PMID: 34536463 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Perception of facial expression is essential for social interactions. Although a few competing models have enjoyed some success to map brain regions, they are also facing difficult challenges. The current study used an updated activation likelihood estimation (ALE) method of meta-analysis to explore the involvement of brain regions in facial expression processing. The sample contained 96 functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) studies of healthy adults with the results of whole-brain analyses. The key findings revealed that the ventral pathway, especially the left fusiform face area (FFA) region, was more responsive to facial expression. The left posterior FFA showed strong involvement when participants passively viewing emotional faces without being asked to judge the type of expression or other attributes of the stimuli. Through meta-analytic connectivity modeling (MACM) of the main brain regions in the ventral pathway, we constructed a co-activating neural network as a revised model of facial expression processing that assigns prominent roles to the amygdala, FFA, the occipital gyrus, and the inferior frontal gyrus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingtong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Chang Hong Liu
- Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University, Dorset, United Kingdom
| | - Shuang Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ke Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Xiaolan Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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14
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Kogler L, Müller VI, Werminghausen E, Eickhoff SB, Derntl B. Do I feel or do I know? Neuroimaging meta-analyses on the multiple facets of empathy. Cortex 2020; 129:341-355. [PMID: 32562973 PMCID: PMC7390692 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.04.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Empathy is a multidimensional construct including affective and cognitive components while maintaining the distinction between one-self and others. Our meta-analyses focused on shared and distinct networks underlying cognitive (taking somebody else's perspective in emotional/painful situations) and affective (self-referentially feeling somebody else's emotions/pain) empathy for various states including painful and emotional situations. Furthermore, a comparison with direct pain experience was carried out. For cognitive empathy, consistent activation in the anterior dorsal medial frontal gyrus (dmPFG) and the supramarginal gyrus (SMG) occurred. For affective empathy, convergent activation of the posterior dmPFG and the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) was found. Consistent activation of the anterior insula (AI), the anterior dmPFG and the SMG was observed for empathy for pain, while convergent recruitment of the temporo-parietal junction, precuneus, posterior dmPFG, and the IFG was revealed in the meta-analysis across empathy for emotion experiments. The AI and the dmPFG/mid-cingulate cortex (MCC) showed overlapping as well as distinct neural activation for pain processing and empathy for pain. Taken together, we were able to show difference in the meta-analytic networks across cognitive and affective empathy as well as for pain and empathy processing. Based on the current results, distinct functions along the midline structures of the brain during empathy processing are apparent. Our data are lending further support for a multidimensional concept of empathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Kogler
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Veronika I Müller
- Institute of Neuroscience und Medicine, INM-7, Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Elena Werminghausen
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Neuroscience und Medicine, INM-7, Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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15
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Kraus J, Roman R, Lacinová L, Lamoš M, Brázdil M, Fredrikson M. Imagery-induced negative affect, social touch and frontal EEG power band activity. Scand J Psychol 2020; 61:731-739. [PMID: 32572974 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Social touch seems to modulate emotions, but its brain correlates are poorly understood. Here, we investigated if frontal power band activity in the electroencephalogram (EEG) during aversive mental imagery is modulated by social touch from one's romantic partner and a stranger. We observed the highest theta and beta power when imaging alone, next so when being touched by a stranger, with lowest theta and beta activity during holding hands with the loved one. Delta power was higher when being alone than with a stranger or a partner, with no difference between the two. Gamma power was highest during the stranger condition and lower both when being alone and with the partner, while alpha power did not change as a function of social touch. Theta power displayed a positive correlation with electrodermal activity supporting its relation to emotional arousal. Attachment style modulated the effect of touch on the EEG as only secure but not insecure partner bonding was associated with theta power reductions. Because theta power was sensitive to the experimental perturbations, mapped onto peripheral physiological arousal and reflected partner attachment style we suggest that frontal theta power might serve as an EEG derived bio-marker for social touch in emotionally significant dyads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Kraus
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.,Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.,HUME lab - Experimental Humanities Laboratory, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Roman
- Centre for Neuroscience, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Lacinová
- Institute for Research on Children, Youth, and Family, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Lamoš
- Centre for Neuroscience, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Brázdil
- Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Mats Fredrikson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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16
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Porto JA, Bick J, Perdue KL, Richards JE, Nunes ML, Nelson CA. The influence of maternal anxiety and depression symptoms on fNIRS brain responses to emotional faces in 5- and 7-month-old infants. Infant Behav Dev 2020; 59:101447. [PMID: 32305734 PMCID: PMC7255941 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Greater relative right (versus left) frontal cortical activation to emotional faces as measured with alpha power in the electroencephalogram (EEG), has been considered a promising neural marker of increased vulnerability to psychopathology and emotional disorders. We set out to explore multichannel fNIRS as a tool to investigate infants' frontal asymmetry responses (hypothesizing greater right versus left frontal cortex activation) to emotional faces as influenced by maternal anxiety and depression symptoms during the postnatal period. We also explored activation differences in fronto-temporal regions associated with facial emotion processing. Ninety-one typically developing 5- and 7-month-old infants were shown photographs of women portraying happy, fearful and angry expressions. Hemodynamic brain responses were analyzed over two frontopolar and seven bilateral cortical regions subdivided into frontal, temporal and parietal areas, defined by age-appropriate MRI templates. Infants of mothers reporting higher negative affect had greater oxyhemoglobin (oxyHb) activation across all emotions over the left inferior frontal gyrus, a region implicated in emotional communication. Follow-up analyses indicated that associations were driven by maternal depression, but not anxiety symptoms. Overall, we found no support for greater right versus left frontal cortex activation in association with maternal negative affect. Findings point to the potential utility of fNIRS as a method for identifying altered neural substrates associated with exposure to maternal depression in infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana A Porto
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Johanna Bick
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Katherine L Perdue
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John E Richards
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Magda L Nunes
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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17
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El-Sourani N, Trempler I, Wurm MF, Fink GR, Schubotz RI. Predictive Impact of Contextual Objects during Action Observation: Evidence from Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. J Cogn Neurosci 2020; 32:326-337. [DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The processing of congruent stimuli, such as an object or action in its typical location, is usually associated with reduced neural activity, probably due to facilitated recognition. However, in some situations, congruency increases neural activity—for example, when objects next to observed actions are likely versus unlikely to be involved in forthcoming action steps. Here, we investigated using fMRI whether the processing of contextual cues during action perception is driven by their (in)congruency and, thus, informative value to make sense of an observed scene. Specifically, we tested whether both highly congruent contextual objects (COs), which strongly indicate a future action step, and highly incongruent COs, which require updating predictions about possible forthcoming action steps, provide more anticipatory information about the action course than moderately congruent COs. In line with our hypothesis that especially the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) subserves the integration of the additional information into the predictive model of the action, we found highly congruent and incongruent COs to increase bilateral activity in action observation nodes, that is, the IFG, the occipitotemporal cortex, and the intraparietal sulcus. Intriguingly, BA 47 was significantly stronger engaged for incongruent COs reflecting the updating of prediction in response to conflicting information. Our findings imply that the IFG reflects the informative impact of COs on observed actions by using contextual information to supply and update the currently operating predictive model. In the case of an incongruent CO, this model has to be reconsidered and extended toward a new overarching action goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadiya El-Sourani
- Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster
- University Hospital Cologne and University of Cologne
| | | | | | - Gereon R. Fink
- University Hospital Cologne and University of Cologne
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM3: Cognitive Neuroscience), Research Centre Jülich
| | - Ricarda I. Schubotz
- Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster
- University Hospital Cologne and University of Cologne
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Jauniaux J, Khatibi A, Rainville P, Jackson PL. A meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies on pain empathy: investigating the role of visual information and observers' perspective. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2019; 14:789-813. [PMID: 31393982 PMCID: PMC6847411 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsz055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Empathy relies on brain systems that support the interaction between an observer's mental state and cues about the others' experience. Beyond the core brain areas typically activated in pain empathy studies (insular and anterior cingulate cortices), the diversity of paradigms used may reveal secondary networks that subserve other more specific processes. A coordinate-based meta-analysis of fMRI experiments on pain empathy was conducted to obtain activation likelihood estimates along three factors and seven conditions: visual cues (body parts, facial expressions), visuospatial (first-person, thirdperson), and cognitive (self-, stimuli-, other-oriented tasks) perspectives. The core network was found across cues and perspectives, and common activation was observed in higher-order visual areas. Body-parts distinctly activated areas related with sensorimotor processing (superior and inferior parietal lobules, anterior insula) while facial expression distinctly involved the inferior frontal gyrus. Self- compared to other-perspective produced distinct activations in the left insula while stimulus- versus other-perspective produced distinctive responses in the inferior frontal and parietal lobules, precentral gyrus, and cerebellum. Pain empathy relies on a core network which is modulated by several secondary networks. The involvement of the latter seems to depend on the visual cues available and the observer's mental state that can be influenced by specific instructions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josiane Jauniaux
- École de psychologie, Université Laval, 2325, rue des Bibliothèques, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale (CIRRIS), 525, boul. Wilfrid-Hamel, Québec, QC G1M 2S8, Canada
- Centre de recherche CERVO, 2601, rue de la Canardière, Québec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Ali Khatibi
- Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), 4545, Chemin Queen-Mary, Montréal, QC H3W 1W4, Canada
- Center of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain (CPR Spine), School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Pierre Rainville
- Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), 4545, Chemin Queen-Mary, Montréal, QC H3W 1W4, Canada
- Département de stomatologie, Université de Montréal, CP 6128, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Philip L Jackson
- École de psychologie, Université Laval, 2325, rue des Bibliothèques, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale (CIRRIS), 525, boul. Wilfrid-Hamel, Québec, QC G1M 2S8, Canada
- Centre de recherche CERVO, 2601, rue de la Canardière, Québec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada
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Shi H, Wang Y, Liu X, Xia L, Chen Y, Lu Q, Nguchu BA, Wang H, Qiu B, Wang X, Feng L. Cortical Alterations by the Abnormal Visual Experience beyond the Critical Period: A Resting-state fMRI Study on Constant Exotropia. Curr Eye Res 2019; 44:1386-1392. [PMID: 31280612 DOI: 10.1080/02713683.2019.1639767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Purpose: The pathological mechanisms of constant exotropia (XT) are still not understood. This study aimed to critically investigate whether patients with XT express neuronal activity changes after the critical period of visual development and further explore how these alterations are associated with behavioral performance.Materials and methods: Fourteen patients with XT and 16 healthy controls (HCs) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The regional homogeneity (ReHo) method was used to evaluate spontaneous brain activities. The association between significantly altered mean ReHo values and behavioral performance was assessed using Pearson's correlation analysis.Results: Compared with HCs, the right secondary visual cortex (V2) in patients with XT exhibited increased ReHo values, whereas the left Brodmann area 47 (BA47) demonstrated decreased spontaneous ReHo values. In patients with XT, the correlation between the left BA47's mean ReHo value and duration of strabismus was positively significant.Conclusions: These findings indicate that patients with XT have severe neural dysfunction in the right V2 and left BA47, and pathological severity in the left BA47 is likely influenced by duration of ongoing strabismus. Therefore, these results may provide clinically important information toward understanding the underlying pathological mechanisms of XT and thus can be fundamental in future XT research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongmei Shi
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yanming Wang
- Centers for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xuemei Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Lin Xia
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yao Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qinlin Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People's Republic of China
| | | | - Huijuan Wang
- Centers for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Bensheng Qiu
- Centers for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Wang
- Centers for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Lixia Feng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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20
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The Emerging Empirical Science of Wisdom: Definition, Measurement, Neurobiology, Longevity, and Interventions. Harv Rev Psychiatry 2019; 27:127-140. [PMID: 31082991 PMCID: PMC6519134 DOI: 10.1097/hrp.0000000000000205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
After participating in this activity, learners should be better able to:• Assess the empirical literature on wisdom• Evaluate a proposed model of wisdom development ABSTRACT: This article seeks to provide an overview of the empirical literature on wisdom in terms of its definitions and measurements, possible neurobiological basis, and evolutionary value, as well as changes with aging and potential clinical interventions to enhance components of wisdom. Wisdom may be defined as a complex human trait with several specific components: social decision making, emotion regulation, prosocial behaviors, self-reflection, acceptance of uncertainty, decisiveness, and spirituality. These components appear to be localized primarily to the prefrontal cortex and limbic striatum. Emerging research suggests that wisdom is linked to better overall health, well-being, happiness, life satisfaction, and resilience. Wisdom likely increases with age, facilitating a possible evolutionary role of wise grandparents in promoting the fitness of the species. Despite the loss of their own fertility and physical health, older adults help enhance their children's well-being, health, longevity, and fertility-the "Grandma Hypothesis" of wisdom. We propose a model of wisdom development that incorporates genetic, environmental, and evolutionary aspects. Wisdom has important implications at both individual and societal levels, and warrants further research as a major contributor to human thriving. There is a need for a greater emphasis on promoting wisdom through our educational systems from elementary to professional schools.
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21
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Ruan J, Bludau S, Palomero-Gallagher N, Caspers S, Mohlberg H, Eickhoff SB, Seitz RJ, Amunts K. Cytoarchitecture, probability maps, and functions of the human supplementary and pre-supplementary motor areas. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 223:4169-4186. [PMID: 30187192 PMCID: PMC6267244 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1738-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The dorsal mesial frontal cortex contains the supplementary motor area (SMA) and the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA), which play an important role in action and cognition. Evidence from cytoarchitectonic, stimulation, and functional studies suggests structural and functional divergence between the two subregions. However, a microstructural map of these areas obtained in a representative sample of brains in a stereotaxic reference space is still lacking. In the present study we show that the dorsal mesial frontal motor cortex comprises two microstructurally different brain regions: area SMA and area pre-SMA. Area-specific cytoarchitectonic patterns were studied in serial histological sections stained for cell bodies of ten human postmortem brains. Borders of the two cortical areas were identified using image analysis and statistical features. The 3D reconstructed areas were transferred to a common reference space, and probabilistic maps were calculated by superimposing the individual maps. A coordinate-based meta-analysis of functional imaging data was subsequently performed using the two probabilistic maps as microstructurally defined seed regions. It revealed that areas SMA and pre-SMA were strongly co-activated with areas in precentral, supramarginal and superior frontal gyri, Rolandic operculum, thalamus, putamen and cerebellum. Both areas were related to motor functions, but area pre-SMA was involved in more complex processes such as learning, cognitive processes and perception. The here described subsequent analyses led to converging evidence supporting the microstructural, and functional segregation of areas SMA and pre-SMA, and maps will be made available to the scientific community to further elucidate the microstructural substrates of motor and cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianghai Ruan
- C. and O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Centre of Neurology and Neuropsychiatry, LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sebastian Bludau
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Nicola Palomero-Gallagher
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, and JARA Translational Brain Medicine, Aachen, Germany
| | - Svenja Caspers
- C. and O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Hartmut Mohlberg
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Rüdiger J Seitz
- Centre of Neurology and Neuropsychiatry, LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
- Florey Neuroscience Institutes, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Katrin Amunts
- C. and O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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22
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Seitz RJ, Paloutzian RF, Angel HF. From Believing to Belief: A General Theoretical Model. J Cogn Neurosci 2018; 30:1254-1264. [DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive neuroscience research has begun to explore the mental processes underlying what a belief and what believing are. Recent evidence suggests that believing involves fundamental brain functions that result in meaningful probabilistic representations, called beliefs. When relatively stable, these beliefs allow for guidance of behavior in individuals and social groups. However, they are also fluid and can be modified by new relevant information, interpersonal contact, social pressure, and situational demands. We present a theoretical model of believing that can account for the formation of both empirically grounded and metaphysical beliefs.
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23
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Kim N, Choi US, Ha S, Lee SB, Song SH, Song DH, Cheon KA. Aberrant Neural Activation Underlying Idiom Comprehension in Korean Children with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder. Yonsei Med J 2018; 59:897-903. [PMID: 30091324 PMCID: PMC6082980 DOI: 10.3349/ymj.2018.59.7.897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social communication impairments and repetitive behaviors or restricted interests. Impaired pragmatic language comprehension is a universal feature in individuals with ASD. However, the underlying neural basis of pragmatic language is poorly understood. In the present study, we examined neural activation patterns associated with impaired pragmatic language comprehension in ASD, compared to typically developing children (TDC). MATERIALS AND METHODS Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was applied to 15 children with ASD and 18 TDC using the Korean pragmatic language task. RESULTS Children with ASD were less accurate than TDC at comprehending idioms, particularly when they were required to interpret idioms with mismatched images (mismatched condition). Children with ASD also showed different patterns of neural activity than TDC in all three conditions (neutral, matched, and mismatched). Specifically, children with ASD showed decreased activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) (Brodmann area 47) in the mismatched condition, compared with TDC (IFG; t(31)=3.17, p<0.001). CONCLUSION These results suggest that children with ASD face difficulties in comprehending pragmatic expressions and apply different pragmatic language processes at the neural level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namwook Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, PURME Foundation NEXON Children's Rehabilitation Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- Graduate School of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea, Korea
| | - Uk Su Choi
- Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Osaka, Japan
| | - Sungji Ha
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | | | - Seung Ha Song
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Severance Children's Hospital, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dong Ho Song
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Severance Children's Hospital, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Keun Ah Cheon
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Severance Children's Hospital, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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Peled-Avron L, Glasner L, Gvirts HZ, Shamay-Tsoory SG. The role of the inferior frontal gyrus in vicarious social touch: A transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) study. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2018; 35:115-121. [PMID: 29773509 PMCID: PMC6968961 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2018.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Revised: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural mechanisms facilitating the experience of vicarious social touch are largely unknown. The right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) has been suggested as part of a simulation observation-execution neural network that plays a key role in the perception of tactile stimuli. Considering that vicarious social touch involves vicarious sharing of emotions, we hypothesized that emotional empathy, i.e., the ability to feel what another individual is feeling, modulates the neural responses to vicarious touch. To examine the role of the rIFG in vicarious touch and its modulation by levels of emotional empathy, we used anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on forty participants who observed photos depicting social touch, nonsocial touch or no touch during tDCS or sham stimulation. The results show that while participants with high levels of emotional empathy exhibited no change in ratings of vicarious social touch, participants with low levels of emotional empathy rate human touch as more emotional following anodal stimulation of the rIFG than following sham stimulation. These findings indicate that emotional responses to vicarious social touch are associated with rIFG activity and are modulated by levels of emotional empathy. This result has major therapeutic potential for individuals with low empathic abilities, such as those with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Glasner
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Hila Z Gvirts
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Psychology, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel.
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25
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Trait anger modulates neural activity in the fronto-parietal attention network. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194444. [PMID: 29672547 PMCID: PMC5908080 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Anger is considered a unique high-arousal and approach-related negative emotion. The influence of individual differences in trait anger on the processing of visual stimuli is relevant to questions about emotional processing and remains to be explored. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we explored the neural responses to standardized images, selected based on valence and arousal ratings in a group of men with high trait anger compared to those with normative to low anger scores (controls). Results show increased activation in the left-lateralized ventral fronto-parietal attention network to unpleasant images by individuals with high trait anger. There was also a group by arousal interaction in the left thalamus/pulvinar such that individuals with high trait anger had increased pulvinar activation to the high-arousal (versus low arousal) unpleasant images as compared to controls. Thus, individual differences in trait anger in men are associated with brain regions subserving executive attentional and sensory integration during the processing of unpleasant emotional stimuli, particularly to high arousal images.
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Bornstein MH. Cultural Expressions and Neurobiological Underpinnings in Mother-Infant Interactions. MINNESOTA SYMPOSIA ON CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/9781119301981.ch5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Harada T, Hayashi A, Sadato N, Iidaka T. Neural Correlates of Emotional Contagion Induced by Happy and Sad Expressions. J PSYCHOPHYSIOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1027/0269-8803/a000160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Abstract. Facial expressions play a significant role in displaying feelings. A person’s facial expression automatically induces a similar emotional feeling in an observer; this phenomenon is known as emotional contagion. However, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying such emotional responses. We conducted an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study to examine the neural substrates involved in automatic responses and emotional feelings induced by movies of another person’s happy and sad facial expressions. The fMRI data revealed observing happiness (vs. sadness) evoked activity in the left anterior cingulate gyrus, which is known to be responsible for positive emotional processing and fear inhibition. Conversely, observing sadness (vs. happiness) increased activity in the right superior temporal sulcus and bilateral inferior parietal lobes, which have been reported to be involved in negative emotional processing and the representation of facial movements. In addition, both expressions evoked activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus. These patterns of activity suggest that the observation of dynamic facial expressions automatically elicited dissociable and partially overlapping responses for happy and sad emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tokiko Harada
- Division of Cerebral Integration, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Akiko Hayashi
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University, Graduate School of Medicine, Showa, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Norihiro Sadato
- Division of Cerebral Integration, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Iidaka
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University, Graduate School of Medicine, Showa, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
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Mao Y, Sang N, Wang Y, Hou X, Huang H, Wei D, Zhang J, Qiu J. Reduced frontal cortex thickness and cortical volume associated with pathological narcissism. Neuroscience 2016; 328:50-7. [PMID: 27129440 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Revised: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 04/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Pathological narcissism is often characterized by arrogant behavior, a lack of empathy, and willingness to exploit other individuals. Generally, individuals with high levels of narcissism are more likely to suffer mental disorders. However, the brain structural basis of individual pathological narcissism trait among healthy people has not yet been investigated with surface-based morphometry. Thus, in this study, we investigated the relationship between cortical thickness (CT), cortical volume (CV), and individual pathological narcissism in a large healthy sample of 176 college students. Multiple regression was used to analyze the correlation between regional CT, CV, and the total Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI) score, adjusting for age, sex, and total intracranial volume. The results showed that the PNI score was significantly negatively associated with CT and CV in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC, key region of the central executive network, CEN), which might be associated with impaired emotion regulation processes. Furthermore, the PNI score showed significant negative associations with CV in the right postcentral gyrus, left medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), and the CT in the right inferior frontal cortex (IFG, overlap with social brain network), which may be related to impairments in social cognition. Together, these findings suggest a unique structural basis for individual differences in pathological narcissism, distributed across different gray matter regions of the social brain network and CEN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Mao
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Na Sang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yongchao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xin Hou
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Hui Huang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Dongtao Wei
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jinfu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jiang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
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Altered Cortico-Limbic Functional Connectivity During an Empathy Task in Subjects with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10862-016-9538-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Balconi M, Canavesio Y. Empathy, Approach Attitude, and rTMs on Left DLPFC Affect Emotional Face Recognition and Facial Feedback (EMG). J PSYCHOPHYSIOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1027/0269-8803/a000150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract. Empathic trait (Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale [BEES]) and emotional attitude (Behavior Activation System [BAS]) were supposed to modulate emotional face recognition, based on left dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPFC) cortex contribution. High-empathic trait (high-BEES) was compared with low-empathic trait (low-BEES), when detection performance (Accuracy Index; Response Times [RTs]) and facial activity (electromyogram, EMG, i.e., zygomatic and corrugators muscle activity) were analyzed. Moreover, the implication of the left DLPFC was tested by using low-frequency rTMS (repeated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) to induce a decreased response to facial expression of emotions when subjects (N = 46) were required to empathize with the emotional stimuli. EMG and behavioral responses were found to be modulated by BEES and BAS, with a decreased performance and a reduced facial responsiveness in response to happiness for high-BEES and high-BAS in the case of TMS on left DLPFC. Secondly, an emotion-specific effect was found: the DLPFC effect was observed for the positive emotion (happiness) more than for the negative emotions (anger and fear) with a decreased performance (lower Accuracy Index [AI] and higher RTs) and a decreased zygomatic muscle activity. Finally, a direct correlation was found between BEES and BAS and the latter was revealed to be predictive (regression analysis) of the behavioral and EMG modulation induced by TMS. These results suggest significant effect by empathic and emotional attitude component on both EMG and behavioral level in emotional face recognition. This mechanism appears to be supported and regulated by DLPFC. The lateralization (left) effect was discussed in light of the valence model of emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Balconi
- Research Unit in Affective and Social Neuroscience, Catholic University of Milan, Italy
- Laboratory of Cognitive Psychology, Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
| | - Ylenia Canavesio
- Laboratory of Cognitive Psychology, Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
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Potthoff D, Seitz RJ. Role of the first and second person perspective for control of behaviour: Understanding other people's facial expressions. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 109:191-200. [PMID: 26709193 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphysparis.2015.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 12/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Humans typically make probabilistic inferences about another person's affective state based on her/his bodily movements such as emotional facial expressions, emblematic gestures and whole body movements. Furthermore, humans deduce tentative predictions about the other person's intentions. Thus, the first person perspective of a subject is supplemented by the second person perspective involving theory of mind and empathy. Neuroimaging investigations have shown that the medial and lateral frontal cortex are critical nodes in the circuits underlying theory of mind, empathy, as well as intention of action. It is suggested that personal perspective taking in social interactions is paradigmatic for the capability of humans to generate probabilistic accounts of the outside world that underlie a person's control of behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Potthoff
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Rüdiger J Seitz
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Germany; Centre of Neurology and Neuropsychiatry, LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany; Florey Neuroscience Institutes, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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Sestito M, Raballo A, Umiltà MA, Amore M, Maggini C, Gallese V. Anomalous echo: Exploring abnormal experience correlates of emotional motor resonance in Schizophrenia Spectrum. Psychiatry Res 2015; 229:559-64. [PMID: 26187341 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.05.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Revised: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 05/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Anomalous experiences such as Basic Symptoms (BS) are considered the first subjective manifestation of the neurobiological substrate of schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to explore whether a low or high emotional motor resonance occurring in Schizophrenia Spectrum (SzSp) patients was related to patients׳ clinical features and to their anomalous subjective experiences as indexed by the Bonn Scale for the Assessment of Basic Symptoms (BSABS). To this aim, we employed a validated paradigm sensitive in evoking a congruent facial mimicry (measured by means of facial electromyographic activity, EMG) through multimodal positive and negative emotional stimuli presentation. Results showed that SzSp patients more resonating with negative emotional stimuli (i.e. Externalizers) had significantly higher scores in BSABS Cluster 3 (Vulnerability) and more psychotic episodes than Internalizers patients. On the other hand, SzSp patients more resonating with positive emotional stimuli (i.e. Externalizers) scored higher in BSABS Cluster 5 (Interpersonal irritation) than Internalizers. Drawing upon a phenomenological-based perspective, we attempted to shed new light on the abnormal experiences characterizing schizophrenia, explaining them in terms of a disruption of the normal self-perception conveyed by the basic, low-level emotional motor mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariateresa Sestito
- Department of Neuroscience, Unit of Physiology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy; Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Unité mixte de recherche 5229, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Bron, France.
| | - Andrea Raballo
- Department of Mental Health, AUSL of Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy; Psychiatric Center Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Mario Amore
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatric Division, University of Genova, Italy
| | - Carlo Maggini
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatric Division, University of Parma, Italy
| | - Vittorio Gallese
- Department of Neuroscience, Unit of Physiology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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Candidi M, Stienen BMC, Aglioti SM, de Gelder B. Virtual lesion of right posterior superior temporal sulcus modulates conscious visual perception of fearful expressions in faces and bodies. Cortex 2015; 65:184-94. [PMID: 25835522 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2015.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2014] [Revised: 12/01/2014] [Accepted: 01/18/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The posterior Superior Temporal Suclus (pSTS) represents a central hub in the complex cerebral network for person perception and emotion recognition as also suggested by its heavy connections with face- and body-specific cortical (e.g., the fusiform face area, FFA and the extrastriate body area, EBA) and subcortical structures (e.g., amygdala). Information on whether pSTS is causatively involved in sustaining conscious visual perception of emotions expressed by faces and bodies is lacking. We explored this issue by combining a binocular rivalry procedure (where emotional and neutral face and body postures rivaled with house images) with off-line, 1-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). We found that temporary inhibition of the right pSTS reduced perceptual dominance of fearful faces and increased perceptual dominance of fearful bodies, while leaving unaffected the perception of neutral face and body images. Inhibition of the vertex had no effect on conscious visual perception of neutral or emotional face or body stimuli. Thus, the right pSTS plays a causal role in shortening conscious vision of fearful faces and in prolonging conscious vision of fearful bodies. These results suggest that pSTS selectively modulates the activity of segregated networks involved in the conscious visual perception of emotional faces or bodies. We speculate that the opposite role of the right pSTS for conscious perception of fearful face and body may be explained by the different connections that this region entertains with face- and body-selective visual areas as well as with amygdalae and premotor regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Candidi
- Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza", Rome, Italy; IRCCS, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
| | - Bernard M C Stienen
- Cognitive and Affective Neurosciences Laboratory, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Salvatore M Aglioti
- Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza", Rome, Italy; IRCCS, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Beatrice de Gelder
- Cognitive and Affective Neurosciences Laboratory, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands; Cognitive Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Sestito M, Raballo A, Umiltà MA, Leuci E, Tonna M, Fortunati R, De Paola G, Amore M, Maggini C, Gallese V. Mirroring the self: testing neurophysiological correlates of disturbed self-experience in schizophrenia spectrum. Psychopathology 2015; 48:184-91. [PMID: 25896541 DOI: 10.1159/000380884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2014] [Accepted: 02/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Self-disorders (SDs) have been described as a core schizophrenia spectrum vulnerability phenotype, both in classic and contemporary psychopathological literature. However, such a core phenotype has not yet been investigated adopting a trans-domain approach that combines the phenomenological and the neurophysiological levels of analysis. The aim of this study is to investigate the relation between SDs and subtle, schizophrenia-specific impairments of emotional resonance that are supposed to reflect abnormalities in the mirror neurons mechanism. Specifically, we tested whether electromyographic response to emotional stimuli (i.e. a proxy for subtle changes in facial mimicry and related motor resonance mechanisms) would predict the occurrence of anomalous subjective experiences (i.e. SDs). SAMPLING AND METHODS Eighteen schizophrenia spectrum (SzSp) patients underwent a comprehensive psychopathological examination and were contextually tested with a multimodal paradigm, recording facial electromyographic activity of muscles in response to positive and negative emotional stimuli. Experiential anomalies were explored with the Bonn Scale for the Assessment of Basic Symptoms (BSABS) and then condensed into rational subscales mapping SzSp anomalous self-experiences. RESULTS SzSp patients showed an imbalance in emotional motor resonance with a selective bias toward negative stimuli, as well as a multisensory integration impairment. Multiple regression analysis showed that electromyographic facial reactions in response to negative stimuli presented in auditory modality specifically and strongly correlated with SD subscore. CONCLUSIONS The study confirms the potential of SDs as target phenotype for neurobiological research and encourages research into disturbed motor/emotional resonance as possible body-level correlate of disturbed subjective experiences in SzSp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariateresa Sestito
- Department of Neuroscience, Unit of Physiology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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Mazza M, Tempesta D, Pino MC, Nigri A, Catalucci A, Guadagni V, Gallucci M, Iaria G, Ferrara M. Neural activity related to cognitive and emotional empathy in post-traumatic stress disorder. Behav Brain Res 2014; 282:37-45. [PMID: 25555525 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.12.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2014] [Revised: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 12/23/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to evaluate the empathic ability and its functional brain correlates in post-traumatic stress disorder subjects (PTSD). Seven PTSD subjects and ten healthy controls, all present in the L'Aquila area during the earthquake of the April 2009, underwent fMRI during which they performed a modified version of the Multifaceted Empathy Test. PTSD patients showed impairments in implicit and explicit emotional empathy, but not in cognitive empathy. Brain responses during cognitive empathy showed an increased activation in patients compared to controls in the right medial frontal gyrus and the left inferior frontal gyrus. During implicit emotional empathy responses patients with PTSD, compared to controls, exhibited greater neural activity in the left pallidum and right insula; instead the control group showed an increased activation in right inferior frontal gyrus. Finally, in the explicit emotional empathy responses the PTSD group showed a reduced neural activity in the left insula and the left inferior frontal gyrus. The behavioral deficit limited to the emotional empathy dimension, accompanied by different patterns of activation in empathy related brain structures, represent a first piece of evidence of a dissociation between emotional and cognitive empathy in PTSD patients. The present findings support the idea that empathy is a multidimensional process, with different facets depending on distinct anatomical substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Mazza
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy.
| | - Daniela Tempesta
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Pino
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Anna Nigri
- Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Neuroradiology Department, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessia Catalucci
- Department of Neuroradiology, "San Salvatore" Hospital, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Veronica Guadagni
- Departments of Psychology and Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Massimo Gallucci
- Department of Neuroradiology, "San Salvatore" Hospital, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Iaria
- Departments of Psychology and Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Michele Ferrara
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy
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Bird G, Viding E. The self to other model of empathy: Providing a new framework for understanding empathy impairments in psychopathy, autism, and alexithymia. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2014; 47:520-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2014] [Revised: 08/19/2014] [Accepted: 09/13/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Prochnow D, Brunheim S, Steinhäuser L, Seitz R. Reasoning about the implications of facial expressions: A behavioral and fMRI study on low and high social impact. Brain Cogn 2014; 90:165-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2014.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2013] [Revised: 04/06/2014] [Accepted: 07/13/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Prochnow D, Brunheim S, Kossack H, Eickhoff SB, Markowitsch HJ, Seitz RJ. Anterior and posterior subareas of the dorsolateral frontal cortex in socially relevant decisions based on masked affect expressions. F1000Res 2014; 3:212. [PMID: 26236464 PMCID: PMC4516020 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.4734.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Socially-relevant decisions are based on clearly recognizable but also not consciously accessible affective stimuli. We studied the role of the dorsolateral frontal cortex (DLFC) in decision-making on masked affect expressions using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Our paradigm permitted us to capture brain activity during a pre-decision phase when the subjects viewed emotional expressions below the threshold of subjective awareness, and during the decision phase, which was based on verbal descriptions as the choice criterion. Using meta-analytic connectivity modeling, we found that the preparatory phase of the decision was associated with activity in a right-posterior portion of the DLFC featuring co-activations in the left-inferior frontal cortex. During the subsequent decision a right-anterior and more dorsal portion of the DLFC became activated, exhibiting a different co-activation pattern. These results provide evidence for partially independent sub-regions within the DLFC, supporting the notion of dual associative processes in intuitive judgments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Prochnow
- Department of Neurology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
| | - Sascha Brunheim
- Department of Neurology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
| | - Hannes Kossack
- Department of Neurology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
| | - Simon B. Eickhoff
- Institute for Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
| | | | - Rüdiger J. Seitz
- Department of Neurology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
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Prochnow D, Brunheim S, Kossack H, Eickhoff SB, Markowitsch HJ, Seitz RJ. Anterior and posterior subareas of the dorsolateral frontal cortex in socially relevant decisions based on masked affect expressions. F1000Res 2014; 3:212. [PMID: 26236464 PMCID: PMC4516020 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.4734.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Socially-relevant decisions are based on clearly recognizable but also not consciously accessible affective stimuli. We studied the role of the dorsolateral frontal cortex (DLFC) in decision-making on masked affect expressions using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Our paradigm permitted us to capture brain activity during a pre-decision phase when the subjects viewed emotional expressions below the threshold of subjective awareness, and during the decision phase, which was based on verbal descriptions as the choice criterion. Using meta-analytic connectivity modeling, we found that the preparatory phase of the decision was associated with activity in a right-posterior portion of the DLFC featuring co-activations in the left-inferior frontal cortex. During the subsequent decision a right-anterior and more dorsal portion of the DLFC became activated, exhibiting a different co-activation pattern. These results provide evidence for partially independent sub-regions within the DLFC, supporting the notion of dual associative processes in intuitive judgments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Prochnow
- Department of Neurology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
| | - Sascha Brunheim
- Department of Neurology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
| | - Hannes Kossack
- Department of Neurology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute for Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
| | - Hans J Markowitsch
- Department of Psychology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, D-33615, Germany
| | - Rüdiger J Seitz
- Department of Neurology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
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Reniers RLEP, Völlm BA, Elliott R, Corcoran R. Empathy, ToM, and self–other differentiation: An fMRI study of internal states. Soc Neurosci 2013; 9:50-62. [DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2013.861360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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42
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Prochnow D, Kossack H, Brunheim S, Müller K, Wittsack HJ, Markowitsch HJ, Seitz RJ. Processing of subliminal facial expressions of emotion: A behavioral and fMRI study. Soc Neurosci 2013; 8:448-61. [DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2013.812536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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43
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Balconi M, Bortolotti A. Emotional face recognition, empathic trait (BEES), and cortical contribution in response to positive and negative cues. The effect of rTMS on dorsal medial prefrontal cortex. Cogn Neurodyn 2013; 7:13-21. [PMID: 24427187 PMCID: PMC3538101 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-012-9210-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2012] [Revised: 06/07/2012] [Accepted: 06/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study investigated the relationship between three different measures related to the affective empathy: facial expression detection in response to different emotional patterns (positive vs. negative), personal response to empathic scale [Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES)], and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dMPFC) contribution to mediate the facial detection task. Nineteen subjects took part in the study and they were required to recognize facial expression of emotions, after having empathized with these emotional cues. Repeated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) method was used in the present research in order to produce a temporary virtual disruption of dMPFC activity. dMPFC disruption induced a worse performance, especially in response to negative expressions (i.e. anger and fear). High-BEES subjects paid a higher cost after frontal brain perturbation: they showed to be unable to correctly detect facial expressions more than low-BEES. Moreover, a "negative valence effect" was observed only for high-BEES, and it was probably related with their higher impairment to recognize negative more than positive expressions. dMPFC was found to support emotional facial expression recognition in an empathic condition, with a specific increased responsiveness for negative-valenced faces. The contribution of this research was discussed to explain the mechanisms underlying affective empathy based on rTMS application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Balconi
- />Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20123 Milan, Italy
- />Laboratory of Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Adriana Bortolotti
- />Laboratory of Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Prochnow D, Höing B, Kleiser R, Lindenberg R, Wittsack HJ, Schäfer R, Franz M, Seitz R. The neural correlates of affect reading: An fMRI study on faces and gestures. Behav Brain Res 2013; 237:270-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2012.08.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2012] [Revised: 08/22/2012] [Accepted: 08/29/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Grynberg D, Chang B, Corneille O, Maurage P, Vermeulen N, Berthoz S, Luminet O. Alexithymia and the processing of emotional facial expressions (EFEs): systematic review, unanswered questions and further perspectives. PLoS One 2012; 7:e42429. [PMID: 22927931 PMCID: PMC3426527 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2012] [Accepted: 07/09/2012] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Alexithymia is characterized by difficulties in identifying, differentiating and describing feelings. A high prevalence of alexithymia has often been observed in clinical disorders characterized by low social functioning. This review aims to assess the association between alexithymia and the ability to decode emotional facial expressions (EFEs) within clinical and healthy populations. More precisely, this review has four main objectives: (1) to assess if alexithymia is a better predictor of the ability to decode EFEs than the diagnosis of clinical disorder; (2) to assess the influence of comorbid factors (depression and anxiety disorder) on the ability to decode EFE; (3) to investigate if deficits in decoding EFEs are specific to some levels of processing or task types; (4) to investigate if the deficits are specific to particular EFEs. Twenty four studies (behavioural and neuroimaging) were identified through a computerized literature search of Psycinfo, PubMed, and Web of Science databases from 1990 to 2010. Data on methodology, clinical characteristics, and possible confounds were analyzed. The review revealed that: (1) alexithymia is associated with deficits in labelling EFEs among clinical disorders, (2) the level of depression and anxiety partially account for the decoding deficits, (3) alexithymia is associated with reduced perceptual abilities, and is likely to be associated with impaired semantic representations of emotional concepts, and (4) alexithymia is associated with neither specific EFEs nor a specific valence. These studies are discussed with respect to processes involved in the recognition of EFEs. Future directions for research on emotion perception are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Grynberg
- Research Institute for Psychological Sciences, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
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Rochas V, Gelmini L, Krolak-Salmon P, Poulet E, Saoud M, Brunelin J, Bediou B. Disrupting Pre-SMA Activity Impairs Facial Happiness Recognition: An Event-Related TMS Study. Cereb Cortex 2012; 23:1517-25. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhs133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Derntl B, Finkelmeyer A, Voss B, Eickhoff SB, Kellermann T, Schneider F, Habel U. Neural correlates of the core facets of empathy in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2012; 136:70-81. [PMID: 22306196 PMCID: PMC7988185 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2011.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2011] [Revised: 12/05/2011] [Accepted: 12/21/2011] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Empathy is a multidimensional construct composed of several components such as emotion recognition, emotional perspective taking and affective responsiveness. Even though patients with schizophrenia demonstrate deficits in all core components of this basic social ability, the neural underpinnings of these dysfunctions are less clear. Using fMRI, we analyzed data from 15 patients meeting the DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia and 15 matched healthy volunteers performing three separate paradigms tapping the core components of empathy, i.e. emotion recognition, perspective taking and affective responsiveness. Behavioral data analysis indicated a significant empathic deficit in patients, reflected in worse performance in all three domains. Analysis of functional data revealed hypoactivation in a fronto-temporo-parietal network including the amygdala in patients. Moreover, amygdala activation correlated negatively with severity of negative symptoms. The results suggest that schizophrenia patients not only suffer from a broad range of emotional deficits but also show cortical and subcortical abnormalities, extending previous findings on fronto-temporal cortical dysfunctions. Since empathy is related to psychosocial functioning and hence of high clinical relevance in schizophrenia, a more detailed understanding of the exact nature of these impairments is mandatory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgit Derntl
- Institute for Clinical, Biological and Differential Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Andreas Finkelmeyer
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany,Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA), Translational Brain Medicine, Germany,Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle Biomedicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, UK
| | - Bianca Voss
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany,Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA), Translational Brain Medicine, Germany
| | - Simon B. Eickhoff
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany,Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA), Translational Brain Medicine, Germany,Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Thilo Kellermann
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany,Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA), Translational Brain Medicine, Germany
| | - Frank Schneider
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany,Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA), Translational Brain Medicine, Germany
| | - Ute Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany,Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA), Translational Brain Medicine, Germany
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Alba-Ferrara L, Hausmann M, Mitchell RL, Weis S. The neural correlates of emotional prosody comprehension: disentangling simple from complex emotion. PLoS One 2011; 6:e28701. [PMID: 22174872 PMCID: PMC3236212 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0028701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2011] [Accepted: 11/14/2011] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Emotional prosody comprehension (EPC), the ability to interpret another person's feelings by listening to their tone of voice, is crucial for effective social communication. Previous studies assessing the neural correlates of EPC have found inconsistent results, particularly regarding the involvement of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). It remained unclear whether the involvement of the mPFC is linked to an increased demand in socio-cognitive components of EPC such as mental state attribution and if basic perceptual processing of EPC can be performed without the contribution of this region. Methods fMRI was used to delineate neural activity during the perception of prosodic stimuli conveying simple and complex emotion. Emotional trials in general, as compared to neutral ones, activated a network comprising temporal and lateral frontal brain regions, while complex emotion trials specifically showed an additional involvement of the mPFC, premotor cortex, frontal operculum and left insula. Conclusion These results indicate that the mPFC and premotor areas might be associated, but are not crucial to EPC. However, the mPFC supports socio-cognitive skills necessary to interpret complex emotion such as inferring mental states. Additionally, the premotor cortex involvement may reflect the participation of the mirror neuron system for prosody processing particularly of complex emotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Alba-Ferrara
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States of America.
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Liakakis G, Nickel J, Seitz R. Diversity of the inferior frontal gyrus—A meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies. Behav Brain Res 2011; 225:341-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2011] [Revised: 06/16/2011] [Accepted: 06/18/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Babiloni C, Vecchio F, Buffo P, Buttiglione M, Cibelli G, Rossini PM. Cortical responses to consciousness of schematic emotional facial expressions: a high-resolution EEG study. Hum Brain Mapp 2011; 31:1556-69. [PMID: 20143385 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.20958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Is conscious perception of emotional face expression related to enhanced cortical responses? Electroencephalographic data (112 channels) were recorded in 15 normal adults during the presentation of cue stimuli with neutral, happy or sad schematic faces (duration: "threshold time" inducing about 50% of correct recognitions), masking stimuli (2 s), and go stimuli with happy or sad schematic faces (0.5 s). The subjects clicked left (right) mouse button in response to go stimuli with happy (sad) faces. After the response, they said "seen" or "not seen" with reference to previous cue stimulus. Electroencephalographic data formed visual event-related potentials (ERPs). Cortical sources of ERPs were estimated by LORETA software. Reaction time to go stimuli was generally shorter during "seen" than "not seen" trials, possibly due to covert attention and awareness. The cue stimuli evoked four ERP components (posterior N100, N170, P200, and P300), which had similar peak latency in the "not seen" and "seen" ERPs. Only N170 amplitude showed differences in amplitude in the "seen" versus "not seen" ERPs. Compared to the "not seen" ERPs, the "seen" ones showed prefrontal, premotor, and posterior parietal sources of N170 higher in amplitude with the sad cue stimuli and lower in amplitude with the neutral and happy cue stimuli. These results suggest that nonconscious and conscious processing of schematic emotional facial expressions shares a similar temporal evolution of cortical activity, and conscious processing induces an early enhancement of bilateral cortical activity for the schematic sad facial expressions (N170).
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Babiloni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
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