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Göller PJ, Reicherts P, Lautenbacher S, Kunz M. Vicarious facilitation of facial responses to pain. Eur J Pain 2024; 28:133-143. [PMID: 37592377 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.2169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Observing facial expressions of pain has been shown to lead to increased subjective, neural and autonomic pain responses. Surprisingly, these vicarious facilitation effects on its corresponding response channel, namely facial responses to pain have mostly been neglected. We aim to examine whether the prior exposure to facial expressions of pain leads to a facilitation of facial responses to experimental pain; and whether this facilitation is linked to the valence (pain vs. neutral expression) or also linked to specific motor-features of the facial pain expressions (different facial muscle movements). METHOD Subjective (intensity and unpleasantness ratings) and facial responses (Facial Action Coding System) of 64 participants (34 female) to painful and non-painful heat stimuli were assessed. Before each heat stimulus, video clips of computer-generated facial expressions (three different pain expressions and a neutral expression) were presented. RESULTS The prior exposure to facial expressions of pain led to increased subjective and facial responses to pain. Further, vicarious pain facilitation of facial responses was significantly correlated with facilitation of unpleasantness ratings. We also found evidence that this vicarious facilitation of facial responses was not only linked to the presentation of pain versus neutral expressions but also to specific motor-features of the pain cue (increase in congruent facial muscle movements). DISCUSSION Vicarious pain facilitation was found for subjective and facial responses to pain. The results are discussed with reference to the motivational priming hypothesis as well as with reference to motor priming. SIGNIFICANCE Our study uncovers evidence that facial pain responses are not only influenced by motivational priming (similar to other types of pain responses), but also by motor-priming. These findings shed light on the complexity - ranging from social, affective and motor mechanisms - underling vicarious facilitation of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Göller
- Medical Psychology and Sociology, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bamberger LivingLab Dementia (BamLiD), University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Philipp Reicherts
- Medical Psychology and Sociology, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Lautenbacher
- Bamberger LivingLab Dementia (BamLiD), University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Miriam Kunz
- Medical Psychology and Sociology, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
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2
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Khatibi A, Roy M, Chen JI, Gill LN, Piche M, Rainville P. Brain responses to the vicarious facilitation of pain by facial expressions of pain and fear. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 18:6750003. [PMID: 36201353 PMCID: PMC9949570 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsac056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Observing pain in others facilitates self-pain in the observer. Vicarious pain facilitation mechanisms are poorly understood. We scanned 21 subjects while they observed pain, fear and neutral dynamic facial expressions. In 33% of the trials, a noxious electrical stimulus was delivered. The nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) and pain ratings were recorded. Both pain and fear expressions increased self-pain ratings (fear > pain) and the NFR amplitude. Enhanced response to self-pain following pain and fear observation involves brain regions including the insula (INS) (pain > fear in anterior part), amygdala, mid-cingulate cortex (MCC), paracentral lobule, precuneus, supplementary motor area and pre-central gyrus. These results are consistent with the motivational priming account where vicarious pain facilitation involves a global enhancement of pain-related responses by negatively valenced stimuli. However, a psychophysiological interaction analysis centered on the left INS revealed increased functional connectivity with the aMCC in response to the painful stimulus following pain observation compared to fear. The opposite connectivity pattern (fear > pain) was observed in the fusiform gyrus, cerebellum (I-IV), lingual gyrus and thalamus, suggesting that pain and fear expressions influence pain-evoked brain responses differentially. Distinctive connectivity patterns demonstrate a stronger effect of pain observation in the cingulo-insular network, which may reflect partly overlapping networks underlying the representation of pain in self and others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Khatibi
- Centre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain (CPR Spine), School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.,Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.,Research Centre of the Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3W 1W5, Canada
| | - Mathieu Roy
- Research Centre of the Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3W 1W5, Canada.,Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 1G1, Canada.,Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Jen-I Chen
- Research Centre of the Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3W 1W5, Canada.,Department of Stomatology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Louis-Nascan Gill
- Research Centre of the Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3W 1W5, Canada
| | - Mathieu Piche
- Department of Anatomy, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada
| | - Pierre Rainville
- Research Centre of the Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3W 1W5, Canada.,Department of Stomatology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
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3
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Ren Q, Yang Y, Wo Y, Lu X, Hu L. Different priming effects of empathy on neural processing associated with firsthand pain and nonpain perception. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2021; 1509:184-202. [PMID: 34877680 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The shared-representation model of empathy is still debated. One of the major questions is whether empathy-eliciting stimuli depicting others' pain selectively activate the representations of self-pain. To address this issue, we assessed the priming effects of empathy-eliciting pictures on firsthand pain and nonpain perception, as well as its associated neural processing. In Experiment 1, when compared with nonpainful pictures depicting individuals' body parts with no injury, participants primed by painful pictures showing individuals' body parts with injury reported higher ratings for perceived intensity, unpleasantness, and salience of nociceptive and auditory stimuli, but they only exhibited increased N2 amplitude in response to nociceptive stimuli. In Experiment 2, the results from another group of participants replicated the observations of Experiment 1 and validated the findings in the non-nociceptive somatosensory modality. Importantly, participants' concern ratings for priming pictures predicted their unpleasantness ratings for subsequent nociceptive stimuli, while participants' attention ratings predicted their unpleasantness ratings for subsequent auditory and tactile stimuli. This finding implies that empathy for pain might influence pain and nonpain perception via different psychological mechanisms. In summary, our findings highlight the existence of pain-selective representations in empathy for pain and contribute to a better understanding of the shared-representation model of empathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoyue Ren
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,General and Experimental Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ye Yang
- Centre for Mental Health Research in School of Management, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Ye Wo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xuejing Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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4
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Tinnermann A, Büchel C, Haaker J. Observation of others' painful heat stimulation involves responses in the spinal cord. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/14/eabe8444. [PMID: 33789899 PMCID: PMC8011973 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe8444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Observing others' aversive experiences is central to know what is dangerous for ourselves. Hence, observation often elicits behavioral and physiological responses comparable to first-hand aversive experiences and engages overlapping brain activation. While brain activation to first-hand aversive experiences relies on connections to the spinal cord, it is unresolved whether merely observing aversive stimulation also involves responses in the spinal cord. Here, we show that observation of others receiving painful heat stimulation involves neural responses in the spinal cord, located in the same cervical segment as first-hand heat pain. However, while first-hand painful experiences are coded within dorsolateral regions of the spinal cord, observation of others' painful heat stimulation involves medial regions. Dorsolateral areas that process first-hand pain exhibit negative responses when observing pain in others. Our results suggest a distinct processing between self and others' pain in the spinal cord when integrating social information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Tinnermann
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christian Büchel
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jan Haaker
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
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5
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Zhao Y, Rütgen M, Zhang L, Lamm C. Pharmacological fMRI provides evidence for opioidergic modulation of discrimination of facial pain expressions. Psychophysiology 2020; 58:e13717. [PMID: 33140886 PMCID: PMC7816233 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The endogenous opioid system is strongly involved in the modulation of pain. However, the potential role of this system in perceiving painful facial expressions from others has not been sufficiently explored as of yet. To elucidate the contribution of the opioid system to the perception of painful facial expressions, we conducted a double‐blind, within‐subjects pharmacological functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, in which 42 participants engaged in an emotion discrimination task (pain vs. disgust expressions) in two experimental sessions, receiving either the opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone or an inert substance (placebo). On the behavioral level, participants less frequently judged an expression as pain under naltrexone as compared to placebo. On the neural level, parametric modulation of activation in the (putative) right fusiform face area (FFA), which was correlated with increased pain intensity, was higher under naltrexone than placebo. Regression analyses revealed that brain activity in the right FFA significantly predicted behavioral performance in disambiguating pain from disgust, both under naltrexone and placebo. These findings suggest that reducing opioid system activity decreased participants' sensitivity for facial expressions of pain, and that this was linked to possibly compensatory engagement of processes related to visual perception, rather than to higher level affective processes, and pain regulation. The behavioral and neural findings of this psychopharmacological fMRI study shed light on a causal role of the opioid system in the discrimination of painful facial expressions, paving the way for further exploration of clinical implications in the domains of pain diagnosis and treatment, on the one hand, and future research on the relationship between basic socio‐perceptual processing and empathy, on the other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yili Zhao
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Markus Rütgen
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lei Zhang
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Neuropsychopharmacology and Biopsychology Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Claus Lamm
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Neuropsychopharmacology and Biopsychology Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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6
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Duschek S, Nassauer L, Montoro CI, Bair A, Montoya P. Dispositional empathy is associated with experimental pain reduction during provision of social support by romantic partners. Scand J Pain 2020; 20:205-209. [PMID: 31433786 DOI: 10.1515/sjpain-2019-0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Background and aims While social interactions like verbal support and physical touch have repeatedly been shown to reduce experimental pain, analgesic effects of passive social support, i.e. the sole physical presence of a supportive other, remain unclear. Moreover, little is known about individual factors influencing the extent of pain attenuation during social support. This study investigated analgesic effects of passive support by a romantic partner and the role of partner empathy therein. Methods In 48 heterosexual couples, sensitivity to pressure pain was assessed; each participant was tested alone and in the passive presence of his/her partner. Dispositional empathy was quantified by a questionnaire. Results In the presence, as compared to absence, of their partners men and women exhibited higher pain threshold and tolerance, as well as lower sensory and affective pain ratings on constant pressure stimuli. Partner empathy was positively associated with pain tolerance and inversely associated with sensory pain experience. Conclusions The results confirm the analgesic effects of social support, which may even occur without verbal or physical contact. Partner empathy may buffer affective distress during pain exposure, thereby reducing pain sensitivity and promoting pain coping. These processes may occur solely due to a partner's physical presence and do not necessarily require direct empathetic feedback.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Duschek
- UMIT - University of Health Sciences Medical Informatics and Technology, Eduard Wallnöfer-Zentrum 1, 6060 Hall in Tirol, Austria
| | - Lena Nassauer
- UMIT - University of Health Sciences Medical Informatics and Technology, Eduard Wallnöfer-Zentrum 1, 6060 Hall in Tirol, Austria
| | | | - Angela Bair
- UMIT - University of Health Sciences Medical Informatics and Technology, Eduard Wallnöfer-Zentrum 1, 6060 Hall in Tirol, Austria
| | - Pedro Montoya
- University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
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7
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Astokorki A, Flood A, Mauger A. Images depicting human pain increase exercise-induced pain and impair endurance cycling performance. J Sports Sci 2020; 39:138-146. [PMID: 32809900 DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2020.1809162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The current study investigated whether viewing images of others in pain influences exercise-induced pain (EIP) and cycling performance. Twenty-one recreational cyclists attended five laboratory visits. The first two visits involved measuring participants' maximal aerobic capacity and familiarized participants to the fixed power (FP) and 16.1 km cycling time trial (TT) tasks. The FP task required participants to cycle at 70% of their maximal aerobic power for 10-minutes. In the subsequent three visits, participants performed the FP and TT tasks after viewing pleasant, painful or neutral images. Participants rated the subset of painful images as more painful than the pleasant and neutral images; with no difference in the pain ratings of the pleasant and neutral images. In the FP task, EIP ratings were higher following painful compared to pleasant images, while no differences in EIP were observed between any other condition . In the TT, performance did not differ between the pleasant and neutral conditions. However, TT performance was reduced after viewing painful images compared to neutral or pleasant images. HR, B[La], perceived exertion and EIP did not differ between the three conditions. These results suggest that viewing painful images decreases TT performance and increases pain during fixed intensity cycling. Abbreviations: EIP: Exercise Induced Pain; FP: Fixed Power; TT: Time Trial; HR:Heart Rate; B[La]: Blood Lactate; RPE: Rating of Perceived Exertion; IAPS: International Affective Picture System; PO: Power Output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Astokorki
- College of Education-Shaqlawa, Salahaddin University-Erbil , Shaqlawa, Iraq.,Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Technology, Cihan University-Erbil , Erbil, Iraq.,College of Science, Pathological Analysis, Knowledge University , Erbil, Iraq
| | - Andrew Flood
- Research Institute for Sport & Exercise, University of Canberra , Canberra, Australia.,Centre for Applied Psychology, University of Canberra , Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, Australia
| | - Alexis Mauger
- Endurance Research Group, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Kent , Chatham, UK
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8
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Sato W, Krumhuber EG, Jellema T, Williams JHG. Editorial: Dynamic Emotional Communication. Front Psychol 2019; 10:2836. [PMID: 31956318 PMCID: PMC6951420 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Wataru Sato
- Kokoro Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Eva G Krumhuber
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tjeerd Jellema
- Department of Psychology, University of Hull, Hull, United Kingdom
| | - Justin H G Williams
- Translational Neuroscience Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
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9
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Riečanský I, Lamm C. The Role of Sensorimotor Processes in Pain Empathy. Brain Topogr 2019; 32:965-976. [PMID: 31705422 PMCID: PMC6882755 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-019-00738-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Pain is a salient, aversive sensation which motivates avoidance, but also has a strong social signaling function. Numerous studies have shown that regions of the nervous system active in association with first-hand pain are also active in response to the pain of others. When witnessing somatic pain, such as seeing bodies in painful situations, significant activations occur not only in areas related to the processing of negative emotions, but also in neuronal structures engaged in somatosensation and the control of skeletal muscles. These empathy-related sensorimotor activations are selectively reviewed in this article, with a focus on studies using electrophysiological methods and paradigms investigating responses to somatic pain. Convergent evidence from these studies shows that these activations (1) occur at multiple levels of the nervous system, from the spinal cord up to the cerebral cortex, (2) are best conceptualized as activations of a defensive system, in line with the role of pain to protect body from injury, and (3) contribute to establishing a matching of psychological states between the sufferer and the observer, which ultimately supports empathic understanding and motivate prosocial action. Future research should thus focus on how these sensorimotor responses are related to higher-order empathic responses, including affective sharing and emotion regulation, and how this motivates approach-related prosocial behaviors aimed at alleviating the pain and suffering of others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Riečanský
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewiczova 1, 813 71, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Claus Lamm
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010, Vienna, Austria.
- Cognitive Neuroscience, International School for Advanced Studies, Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy.
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10
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Antico L, Cataldo E, Corradi-Dell'Acqua C. Does my pain affect your disgust? Cross-modal influence of first-hand aversive experiences in the appraisal of others' facial expressions. Eur J Pain 2019; 23:1283-1296. [PMID: 30848050 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Embodied models of social cognition argue that others' affective states are processed by re-enacting a sensory-specific representation of the same state in the observer. However, neuroimaging studies suggest that a reliable part of the representation shared between self and others is supramodal and relates to dimensions such as Unpleasantness or arousal, common to qualitatively different experiences. Here we investigated whether representations of first-hand pain and disgust influenced the subsequent evaluation of facial expressions in Modality-specific fashion, or in terms of Unpleasantness or arousal. METHODS Thirty volunteers were subjected to thermal painful and olfactory disgusting events, and subsequently were asked to classify computer-generated faces expressing pain (characterized by high Unpleasantness and arousal), disgust (high Unpleasantness and low arousal), surprise (low Unpleasantness and high arousal) and hybrid combinations thereof. RESULTS Thermal and olfactory events were associated with comparable Unpleasantness ratings and heart rate (but stronger galvanic response was found for painful temperatures). Furthermore, we found that the appraisal of facial expressions was biased by the prior stimulus, with more frequent pain classifications following thermal stimuli, and more frequent disgust classifications following olfactory stimuli. Critically, this modulation was cross-modal in nature, as each first-hand stimulation influenced in comparable fashion facial traits diagnostic of both pain and disgust, without instead generalizing to features of surprise. CONCLUSION Overall, these data support the presence of shared coding between one's aversive experiences and the appraisal of others' facial responses, which is best describable as supramodal representation of the Unpleasantness of the experience. SIGNIFICANCE These results extend previous findings about common representational coding between the experience of first-hand and others' pain. In particular, they highlight that reliable part of the information shared is supramodal in nature and relates to a broad dimension of Unpleasantness common also to painless aversive states such as disgust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lia Antico
- Theory of Pain Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eugénie Cataldo
- Theory of Pain Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Corrado Corradi-Dell'Acqua
- Theory of Pain Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Geneva Neuroscience Center, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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11
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Qiao-Tasserit E, Corradi-Dell'Acqua C, Vuilleumier P. The good, the bad, and the suffering. Transient emotional episodes modulate the neural circuits of pain and empathy. Neuropsychologia 2017; 116:99-116. [PMID: 29258849 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
People's sensitivity to first-hand pain is affected by their ongoing emotions, with positive states (joy, amusement) exerting analgesic-like effects, and negative states (sadness, fear) often enhancing the subjective experience. It is however less clear how empathetic responses to others' pain are affected by one's own emotional state. Following embodied accounts that posit a shared representational code between self and others' states, it is plausible that pain empathy might be influenced by emotions in the same way as first-hand pain. Alternatively, other theories in psychology suggest that social resources (including empathetic reactions) might be enhanced by positive states, but inhibited by negative states, as only in the former case, one's mindset is sufficiently broad to take into consideration others' needs. To disambiguate between these opposing predictions, we conducted two experiments in which volunteers observed positive, neutral, or negative video clips, and subsequently either received painful thermal stimuli on their own body (first-hand pain), or observed images of wounded hands (others' pain). We measured subjective pain ratings as well as physiological responses and brain activity using fMRI. We found that, contrary to the case of first-hand pain, others' pain produced weaker galvanic responses and lower neural activity in anterior insula and middle cingulate cortex following negative (relative to neutral and positive) videos. Such inhibition was partially counteracted by personal empathy traits, as individuals with higher scores retained greater sensitivity to others' pain after negative emotion induction, in both behavioral and neural responses in medial prefrontal cortex. Furthermore, multivoxel pattern analysis confirmed similar neural representation for first-hand and others' pain in anterior insula, with representation similarity increasing the more the video preceding the observation of others' suffering was positive. These findings speak against the idea that emotion induction affects first-hand and others' pain in an isomorphic way, but rather supports the idea that contrary to negative emotions, positive emotions favors a broader access to social resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Qiao-Tasserit
- Laboratory for Neurology and Imaging of Cognition, Department of Neurosciences and Clinic of Neurology, University Medical Centre, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss Centre for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland.
| | | | - Patrik Vuilleumier
- Laboratory for Neurology and Imaging of Cognition, Department of Neurosciences and Clinic of Neurology, University Medical Centre, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss Centre for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
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12
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Recent studies demonstrate that empathy-evoked brain responses include the activation of brainstem structures responsible for triggering descending pain inhibition. Unfortunately, direct evidence linking empathy for pain and descending inhibitory controls (conditioned pain modulation) is lacking. This study, therefore, aimed to determine if the observation of ourselves or a loved-one in pain could activate descending pain inhibition without exposure to a noxious stimulation; which is otherwise required. METHODS Descending pain inhibition was triggered by immersing the right arm of participants (15 heterosexual couples; mean age±SE: 28.89±2.14) in a bath of cold water. The effects of empathy on descending pain inhibition were observed by immersing the right arm of participants in a bath of lukewarm water while having them watch a video of either themselves or their spouse during a previous nociceptive immersion. Immersion of the arm in a bath of lukewarm water without empathic (video) observation was also included as a control condition. RESULTS A strong inhibitory response activated by the mere observation of the video of themselves or their spouse in pain without a nociceptive conditioning stimulus. Associative statistics also showed that strong pain catastrophizing responses while watching the video resulted in stronger pain inhibition. Moreover, high levels of empathy were associated with stronger pain inhibition, but only for women. DISCUSSION This study showed that observing someone in pain triggers descending pain inhibition. Results also demonstrate how empathy and gender are affecting pain modulation mechanisms.
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13
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Ceunen E, Vlaeyen JWS, Van Diest I. On the Origin of Interoception. Front Psychol 2016; 7:743. [PMID: 27242642 PMCID: PMC4876111 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the course of a century, the meaning of interoception has changed from the restrictive to the inclusive. In its inclusive sense, it bears relevance to every individual via its link to emotion, decision making, time-perception, health, pain, and various other areas of life. While the label for the perception of the body state changes over time, the need for an overarching concept remains. Many aspects can make any particular interoceptive sensation unique and distinct from any other interoceptive sensation. This can range from the sense of agency, to the physical cause of a sensation, the ontogenetic origin, the efferent innervation, and afferent pathways of the tissue involved amongst others. In its overarching meaning, interoception primarily is a product of the central nervous system, a construct based on an integration of various sources, not per se including afferent information. This paper proposes a definition of interoception as based on subjective experience, and pleas for the use of specific vocabulary in addressing the many aspects that contribute to it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Ceunen
- Research Group on Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Leuven, LeuvenBelgium
- Research Group on Self Regulation and Health, Institute for Health and Behaviour, Integrative Research Unit on Social and Individual Development, FLSHASE, University of Luxembourg, WalferdangeLuxembourg
| | - Johan W. S. Vlaeyen
- Research Group on Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Leuven, LeuvenBelgium
| | - Ilse Van Diest
- Research Group on Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Leuven, LeuvenBelgium
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14
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Grégoire M, Coll MP, Tremblay MPB, Prkachin KM, Jackson PL. Repeated exposure to others' pain reduces vicarious pain intensity estimation. Eur J Pain 2016; 20:1644-1652. [PMID: 27150129 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pain perception in others can be influenced by different contextual factors. In clinical settings, the repeated exposure to others' pain has been proposed as a factor that could explain underestimation of patients' pain by health care providers. Previous research supported this idea by showing that repeated exposure to persons in pain biases the subsequent willingness to impute pain in others. However, it remains unclear if the effect of repeated exposure on the detection of pain extends to deliberate pain estimation of stimuli presented for a longer period. METHOD Therefore, in a first experiment, healthy participants were either exposed to clips of facial expressions of intense pain or neutral expressions before estimating the intensity of other individuals' pain expressions. To test the specificity of this effect with regard to the pain content, a second study was conducted with healthy adults, which compared the effect of exposure to fear, pain and neutral videos on subsequent pain assessment in others. RESULTS Results from the first experiment indicated that repeated exposure to others' pain diminished the subsequent estimation of the intensity of pain in others. Results from the second experiment suggested that exposure to fear could bias pain estimation in a similar manner. However, the absence of difference in ratings between the exposure to fear and neutral groups warrants caution in the interpretation of these findings. CONCLUSION By demonstrating that repeated exposure to others' pain diminished subsequent pain estimation in others, this study adds relevant information on the factors that could contribute to pain underestimation in health care professionals. WHAT DOES THIS STUDY ADD?: Repeated exposure to facial expressions of intense pain not only biases pain detection, but also pain estimation in others. Prior exposure to facial expressions of pain compared to exposure to neutral ones leads to a reduced estimation of others' pain. This effect is not specific to pain as exposure to another negative emotion (fear) also biases subsequent pain estimation. These results support the interpretation that the underestimation of patients' pain by health care professionals could be related to repeated exposure to other's pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Grégoire
- École de psychologie, Faculté des sciences sociales, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.,Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale, Québec, QC, Canada.,Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - M P Coll
- École de psychologie, Faculté des sciences sociales, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.,Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale, Québec, QC, Canada.,Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - M P B Tremblay
- École de psychologie, Faculté des sciences sociales, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.,Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale, Québec, QC, Canada.,Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - K M Prkachin
- University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada
| | - P L Jackson
- École de psychologie, Faculté des sciences sociales, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada. .,Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale, Québec, QC, Canada. .,Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada.
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15
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Emotional mimicry signals pain empathy as evidenced by facial electromyography. Sci Rep 2015; 5:16988. [PMID: 26647740 PMCID: PMC4673531 DOI: 10.1038/srep16988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Facial mimicry has been suggested to be a behavioral index for emotional empathy. The present study is the first to investigate the link between facial muscle activity and empathy for pain by facial electromyographic (EMG) recording while observers watched videos depicting real-life painful events. Three types of visual stimulus were used: an intact painful scene and arm-only (needle injection) and face only (painful expression) scenes. Enhanced EMG activity of the corrugator supercilii (CS) and zygomaticus major (ZM) muscles was found when observers viewed others in pain, supporting a unique pain expression that is distinct from the expression of basic emotions. In the intact video stimulus condition, CS activity was correlated positively with the empathic concern score and ZM activity, suggesting facial mimicry mediated empathy for pain. Cluster analysis of facial EMG responses revealed markedly different patterns among stimulus types, including response category, ratio, and temporal dynamics, indicating greater ecological validity of the intact scene in eliciting pain empathy as compared with partial scenes. This study is the first to quantitatively describe pain empathy in terms of facial EMG data. It may provide important evidence for facial mimicry as a behavioral indicator of pain empathy.
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16
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The “Double-Edge Sword” of Human Empathy: A Unifying Neurobehavioral Theory of Compassion Stress Injury. SOCIAL SCIENCES 2015. [DOI: 10.3390/socsci4041087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
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17
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In the presence of others: Self-location, balance control and vestibular processing. Neurophysiol Clin 2015; 45:241-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neucli.2015.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Revised: 09/10/2015] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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18
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Duncan NW, Hayes DJ, Wiebking C, Tiret B, Pietruska K, Chen DQ, Rainville P, Marjańska M, Ayad O, Doyon J, Hodaie M, Northoff G. Negative childhood experiences alter a prefrontal-insular-motor cortical network in healthy adults: A preliminary multimodal rsfMRI-fMRI-MRS-dMRI study. Hum Brain Mapp 2015; 36:4622-37. [PMID: 26287448 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.22941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2015] [Revised: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Research in humans and animals has shown that negative childhood experiences (NCE) can have long-term effects on the structure and function of the brain. Alterations have been noted in grey and white matter, in the brain's resting state, on the glutamatergic system, and on neural and behavioural responses to aversive stimuli. These effects can be linked to psychiatric disorder such as depression and anxiety disorders that are influenced by excessive exposure to early life stressors. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of NCEs on these systems. Resting state functional MRI (rsfMRI), aversion task fMRI, glutamate magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) were combined with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) in healthy subjects to examine the impact of NCEs on the brain. Low CTQ scores, a measure of NCEs, were related to higher resting state glutamate levels and higher resting state entropy in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). CTQ scores, mPFC glutamate and entropy, correlated with neural BOLD responses to the anticipation of aversive stimuli in regions throughout the aversion-related network, with strong correlations between all measures in the motor cortex and left insula. Structural connectivity strength, measured using mean fractional anisotropy, between the mPFC and left insula correlated to aversion-related signal changes in the motor cortex. These findings highlight the impact of NCEs on multiple inter-related brain systems. In particular, they highlight the role of a prefrontal-insular-motor cortical network in the processing and responsivity to aversive stimuli and its potential adaptability by NCEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niall W Duncan
- Graduate Institute of Humanities in Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Brain and Consciousness Research Center, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan.,Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Research Unit, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Dave J Hayes
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto and Division of Brain Imaging and Behaviour Systems Neuroscience, Toronto Western Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christine Wiebking
- Cluster of Excellence in Cognitive Sciences, Department of Sociology of Physical Activity and Health, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Brice Tiret
- Functional Neuroimaging Unit and Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Karin Pietruska
- Faculté de médecine dentaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - David Q Chen
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto and Division of Brain Imaging and Behaviour Systems Neuroscience, Toronto Western Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pierre Rainville
- Faculté de médecine dentaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Małgorzata Marjańska
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Omar Ayad
- Graduate Institute of Humanities in Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Julien Doyon
- Functional Neuroimaging Unit and Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Mojgan Hodaie
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto and Division of Brain Imaging and Behaviour Systems Neuroscience, Toronto Western Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Georg Northoff
- Graduate Institute of Humanities in Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Brain and Consciousness Research Center, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan.,Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Research Unit, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
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19
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Khatibi A, Schrooten M, Bosmans K, Volders S, Vlaeyen JWS, Van den Bussche E. Sub-optimal presentation of painful facial expressions enhances readiness for action and pain perception following electrocutaneous stimulation. Front Psychol 2015. [PMID: 26217260 PMCID: PMC4493322 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Observation of others’ painful facial expressions has been shown to facilitate behavioral response tendencies and to increase pain perception in the observer. However, in previous studies, expressions were clearly visible to the observer and none of those studies investigated the effect of presence of peripheral stimulation on response tendencies. This study focuses on the effect of sub-optimal presentation of painful facial expressions in the presence and absence of an electrocutaneous stimulus. Twenty-two healthy individuals categorized arrow targets which were preceded by a sub-optimally presented facial expression (painful, happy, or neutral in different blocks). On half of the trials, aversive electrocutaneous stimulation was delivered to the wrist of the non-dominant hand between the presentation of facial expression and target (an arrow directing to right or left). Participants’ task was to indicate direction of the arrow as soon as it appears on the screen by pressing the corresponding key on the keyboard and to rate their pain at the end of block. Analysis showed that responses were faster to targets preceded by aversive stimulation than to targets not preceded by stimulation, especially following painful expressions. Painfulness ratings were higher following painful expressions than following happy expressions. These findings suggest that sub-optimally presented painful expressions can enhance readiness to act to neutral, non-pain-related targets after aversive stimulation and can increase pain perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Khatibi
- Research Group on Health Psychology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Leuven, Belgium ; Laboratory of Research on Neuropsychology of Pain, University of Montreal Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Martien Schrooten
- Research Group on Health Psychology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Leuven, Belgium ; Center for Health and Medical Psychology, Örebro University Örebro, Sweden
| | - Katrien Bosmans
- Department of Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel Brussels, Belgium
| | - Stephanie Volders
- Research Group on Health Psychology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johan W S Vlaeyen
- Research Group on Health Psychology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Leuven, Belgium ; Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University Maastricht, Netherlands
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20
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Helsen K, Vlaeyen JWS, Goubert L. Indirect acquisition of pain-related fear: an experimental study of observational learning using coloured cold metal bars. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0117236. [PMID: 25806969 PMCID: PMC4373920 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2013] [Accepted: 12/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous research has demonstrated that pain-related fear can be acquired through observation of another’s pain behaviour during an encounter with a painful stimulus. The results of two experimental studies were presented, each with a different pain stimulus, of which the aim was to investigate the effect of observational learning on pain expectancies, avoidance behaviour, and physiological responding. Additionally, the study investigated whether certain individuals are at heightened risk to develop pain-related fear through observation. Finally, changes in pain-related fear and pain intensity after exposure to the feared stimulus were examined. Methods During observational acquisition, healthy female participants watched a video showing coloured cold metal bars being placed against the neck of several models. In a differential fear conditioning paradigm, one colour was paired with painful facial expressions, and another colour was paired with neutral facial expressions of the video models. During exposure, both metal bars with equal temperatures (-25° or +8° Celsius) were placed repeatedly against participants’ own neck. Results Results showed that pain-related beliefs can be acquired by observing pain in others, but do not necessarily cause behavioural changes. Additionally, dispositional empathy might play a role in the acquisition of these beliefs. Furthermore, skin conductance responses were higher when exposed to the pain-associated bar, but only in one of two experiments. Differential pain-related beliefs rapidly disappeared after first-hand exposure to the stimuli. Conclusions This study enhances our understanding of pain-related fear acquisition and subsequent exposure to the feared stimulus, providing leads for pain prevention and management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Helsen
- Research Group on Health Psychology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Johan W. S. Vlaeyen
- Research Group on Health Psychology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 40, Maastricht, Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Liesbet Goubert
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, Ghent, Belgium
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21
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Budell L, Kunz M, Jackson PL, Rainville P. Mirroring pain in the brain: emotional expression versus motor imitation. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0107526. [PMID: 25671563 PMCID: PMC4324963 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2013] [Accepted: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Perception of pain in others via facial expressions has been shown to involve brain areas responsive to self-pain, biological motion, as well as both performed and observed motor actions. Here, we investigated the involvement of these different regions during emotional and motor mirroring of pain expressions using a two-task paradigm, and including both observation and execution of the expressions. BOLD responses were measured as subjects watched video clips showing different intensities of pain expression and, after a variable delay, either expressed the amount of pain they perceived in the clips (pain task), or imitated the facial movements (movement task). In the pain task condition, pain coding involved overlapping activation across observation and execution in the anterior cingulate cortex, supplementary motor area, inferior frontal gyrus/anterior insula, and the inferior parietal lobule, and a pain-related increase (pain vs. neutral) in the anterior cingulate cortex/supplementary motor area, the right inferior frontal gyrus, and the postcentral gyrus. The ‘mirroring’ response was stronger in the inferior frontal gyrus and middle temporal gyrus/superior temporal sulcus during the pain task, and stronger in the inferior parietal lobule in the movement task. These results strongly suggest that while motor mirroring may contribute to the perception of pain expressions in others, interpreting these expressions in terms of pain content draws more heavily on networks involved in the perception of affective meaning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesley Budell
- Département de physiologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central (GRSNC) and Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Miriam Kunz
- Department of Psychology, University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Philip L. Jackson
- École de psychologie and CIRRIS and CRIUSMQ, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Pierre Rainville
- Groupe de recherche sur le système nerveux central (GRSNC) and Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Département de stomatologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- * E-mail:
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22
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Wieser MJ, Gerdes ABM, Reicherts P, Pauli P. Mutual influences of pain and emotional face processing. Front Psychol 2014; 5:1160. [PMID: 25352817 PMCID: PMC4195272 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The perception of unpleasant stimuli enhances whereas the perception of pleasant stimuli decreases pain perception. In contrast, the effects of pain on the processing of emotional stimuli are much less known. Especially given the recent interest in facial expressions of pain as a special category of emotional stimuli, a main topic in this research line is the mutual influence of pain and facial expression processing. Therefore, in this mini-review we selectively summarize research on the effects of emotional stimuli on pain, but more extensively turn to the opposite direction namely how pain influences concurrent processing of affective stimuli such as facial expressions. Based on the motivational priming theory one may hypothesize that the perception of pain enhances the processing of unpleasant stimuli and decreases the processing of pleasant stimuli. This review reveals that the literature is only partly consistent with this assumption: pain reduces the processing of pleasant pictures and happy facial expressions, but does not - or only partly - affect processing of unpleasant pictures. However, it was demonstrated that pain selectively enhances the processing of facial expressions if these are pain-related (i.e., facial expressions of pain). Extending a mere affective modulation theory, the latter results suggest pain-specific effects which may be explained by the perception-action model of empathy. Together, these results underscore the important mutual influence of pain and emotional face processing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Antje B M Gerdes
- Department of Psychology, University of Mannheim Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Paul Pauli
- Department of Psychology, University of Würzburg Würzburg, Germany
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23
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[The mutual influence of pain and emotion processing]. Schmerz 2014; 28:631-4. [PMID: 25179417 DOI: 10.1007/s00482-014-1481-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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24
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Khatibi A, Vachon-Presseau E, Schrooten M, Vlaeyen J, Rainville P. Attention effects on vicarious modulation of nociception and pain. Pain 2014; 155:2033-9. [PMID: 25016217 DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2014.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2013] [Revised: 06/27/2014] [Accepted: 07/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The observation of others' facial expressions of pain has been shown to facilitate the observer's nociceptive responses and to increase pain perception. We investigated how this vicarious facilitation effect is modulated by directing the observer's attention toward the meaning of pain expression or the facial movements. In separate trials, participants were instructed to assess the "intensity of the pain expression"(meaning) or to "discriminate the facial movements" in the upper vs lower part of the face shown in 1-second dynamic clips displaying mild, moderate, or strong pain expressions or a neutral control. In 50% of the trials, participants received a painful electrical stimulation to the sural nerve immediately after the presentation of the expression. Low-level nociceptive reactivity was measured with the RIII-response, and pain perception was assessed using pain ratings. Pain induced by the electrical stimulation increased after viewing stronger pain expressions in both tasks, but the RIII-response showed this vicarious facilitation effect only in the movement discrimination task at the strongest expression intensity. These findings are consistent with the notion that vicarious processes facilitate self-pain and may prime automatic nociceptive responses. However, this priming effect is influenced by top-down attentional processes. These results provide another case of dissociation between reflexive and perceptual processes, consistent with the involvement of partly separate brain networks in the regulation of cortical and lower-level nociceptive responses. Combined with previous results, these findings suggest that vicarious pain facilitation is an automatic process that may be diminished by top-down attentional processes directed at the meaning of the expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Khatibi
- Research Group on Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Etienne Vachon-Presseau
- Departement de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Martien Schrooten
- Research Group on Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Center for Health and Medical Psychology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Johan Vlaeyen
- Research Group on Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Pierre Rainville
- Departement de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Stomatology, Faculty of Dentistry, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Groupe de Recherche sur le Systeme Nerveux Central (GRSNC), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
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25
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Courtney CA, Fernández-de-las-Peñas C. Unraveling the challenge of head and face pain. J Man Manip Ther 2014; 22:1. [DOI: 10.1179/1066981713z.00000000090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
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Vachon-Presseau E, Roy M, Martel MO, Albouy G, Sullivan MJ, Jackson PL, Rainville P. The Two Sides of Pain Communication: Effects of Pain Expressiveness on Vicarious Brain Responses Revealed in Chronic Back Pain Patients. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2013; 14:1407-15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2013.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2013] [Revised: 06/02/2013] [Accepted: 07/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Roy C, Fiset D, Taschereau-Dumouchel V, Gosselin F, Rainville P. A refined examination of the facial cues contributing to vicarious effects on self-pain and spinal responses. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2013; 14:1475-84. [PMID: 24094846 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2013.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2012] [Revised: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 07/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Vicarious pain has been shown to enhance observers' nociceptive reactivity and pain perception. We exposed healthy participants to specific parts of facial pain expressions in order to investigate which components are required to induce this modulation. We created 2 classes of stimuli: one containing the most useful information for identification of pain expressions (diagnostic) and one containing the least useful information (antidiagnostic). Twenty-eight normal volunteers received electrical stimulation of the sural nerve immediately after they viewed these stimuli. Subjective ratings (intensity and unpleasantness) as well as the nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) evoked by the shock were recorded. Results show that diagnostic stimuli lead to higher subjective ratings of shock pain than the antidiagnostic stimuli, but the stimuli classes had no significant impact on the NFR. A control experiment showed that our facial stimuli were given very low valence and arousal ratings compared to stimuli previously used to demonstrate the effect of emotional pictures on pain. Thus, the results are unlikely to be explained by emotions felt by the observer and suggest a vicarious facilitation of supraspinal pain processing induced by key features underlying pain expressions recognition. Results provide further support to the perception-action model of empathy. PERSPECTIVE This study demonstrates that visual features that are efficiently used for the recognition of pain expressions are sufficient to induce a vicarious facilitation of self-pain. Supraspinal pain responses were modulated by the informativeness of the areas of the pain expressions that participants viewed prior to the painful stimulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Roy
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Neuropsychologie et Cognition, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
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Nielsen T, Kuiken D. Relationships between non-pathological dream-enactment and mirror behaviors. Conscious Cogn 2013; 22:975-86. [PMID: 23871862 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2013.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2012] [Revised: 05/23/2013] [Accepted: 06/09/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Dream-enacting behaviors (DEBs) are behavioral expressions of forceful dream images often occurring during sleep-to-wakefulness transitions. We propose that DEBs reflect brain activity underlying social cognition, in particular, motor-affective resonance generated by the mirror neuron system. We developed a Mirror Behavior Questionnaire (MBQ) to assess some dimensions of mirror behaviors and investigated relationships between MBQ scores and DEBs in a large of university undergraduate cohort. MBQ scores were normally distributed and described by a four-factor structure (Empathy/Emotional Contagion, Behavioral Imitation, Sleepiness/Anger Contagion, Motor Skill Imitation). DEB scores correlated positively with MBQ total and factor scores even with social desirability, somnambulism and somniloquy controlled. Emotion-specific DEB items correlated with corresponding emotion-specific MBQ items, especially crying and smiling. Results provide preliminary evidence for cross-state relationships between propensities for dream-enacting and mirror behaviors--especially behaviors involving motor-affective resonance--and our suggestion that motor-affective resonance mediates dream-enactment imagery during sleep and emotional empathy during waking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tore Nielsen
- Dept. Psychiatry, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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Altered Psychophysiological Responses to the View of Others' Pain and Anger Faces in Fibromyalgia Patients. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2013; 14:709-19. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2013.01.775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2012] [Revised: 01/12/2013] [Accepted: 01/31/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Reicherts P, Gerdes ABM, Pauli P, Wieser MJ. On the mutual effects of pain and emotion: facial pain expressions enhance pain perception and vice versa are perceived as more arousing when feeling pain. Pain 2013; 154:793-800. [PMID: 23541426 DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2013.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2012] [Revised: 12/15/2012] [Accepted: 02/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Perception of emotional stimuli alters the perception of pain. Although facial expressions are powerful emotional cues - the expression of pain especially plays a crucial role for the experience and communication of pain - research on their influence on pain perception is scarce. In addition, the opposite effect of pain on the processing of emotion has been elucidated even less. To further scrutinize mutual influences of emotion and pain, 22 participants were administered painful and nonpainful thermal stimuli while watching dynamic facial expressions depicting joy, fear, pain, and a neutral expression. As a control condition of low visual complexity, a central fixation cross was presented. Participants rated the intensity of the thermal stimuli and evaluated valence and arousal of the facial expressions. In addition, facial electromyography was recorded as an index of emotion and pain perception. Results show that faces per se, compared to the low-level control condition, decreased pain, suggesting a general attention modulation of pain by complex (social) stimuli. The facial response to painful stimulation revealed a significant correlation with pain intensity ratings. Most important, painful thermal stimuli increased the arousal of simultaneously presented pain expressions, and in turn, pain expressions resulted in higher pain ratings compared to all other facial expressions. These findings demonstrate that the modulation of pain and emotion is bidirectional with pain faces being mostly prone to having mutual influences, and support the view of interconnections between pain and emotion. Furthermore, the special relevance of pain faces for the processing of pain was demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Reicherts
- Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Biological Psychology, and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Germany
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Electrocortical evidence for preferential processing of dynamic pain expressions compared to other emotional expressions. Pain 2012; 153:1959-1964. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2012.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2011] [Revised: 06/13/2012] [Accepted: 06/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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