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Zhao Y, Zhang L, Rütgen M, Sladky R, Lamm C. Effective connectivity reveals distinctive patterns in response to others' genuine affective experience of disgust. Neuroimage 2022; 259:119404. [PMID: 35750254 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Empathy is significantly influenced by the identification of others' emotions. In a recent study, we have found increased activation in the anterior insular cortex (aIns) that could be attributed to affect sharing rather than perceptual saliency, when seeing another person genuinely experiencing pain as opposed to merely acting to be in pain. In that prior study, effective connectivity between aIns and the right supramarginal gyrus (rSMG) was revealed to represent what another person really feels. In the present study, we used a similar paradigm to investigate the corresponding neural signatures in the domain of empathy for disgust - with participants seeing others genuinely sniffing unpleasant odors as compared to pretending to smell something disgusting (in fact the disgust expressions in both conditions were acted for reasons of experimental control). Consistent with the previous findings on pain, we found stronger activations in aIns associated with affect sharing for genuine disgust (inferred) compared with pretended disgust. However, instead of rSMG we found engagement of the olfactory cortex. Using dynamic causal modeling (DCM), we estimated the neural dynamics of aIns and the olfactory cortex between the genuine and pretended conditions. This revealed an increased excitatory modulatory effect for genuine disgust compared to pretended disgust. For genuine disgust only, brain-to-behavior regression analyses highlighted a link between the observed modulatory effect and a few empathic traits. Altogether, the current findings complement and expand our previous work, by showing that perceptual saliency alone does not explain responses in the insular cortex. Moreover, it reveals that different brain networks are implicated in a modality-specific way when sharing the affective experiences associated with pain vs. disgust.
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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, Liebiggasse 5, Vienna 1010, Austria
| | - Lei Zhang
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, Vienna 1010, Austria
| | - Markus Rütgen
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, Vienna 1010, Austria; Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, Vienna 1010, Austria
| | - Ronald Sladky
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, Vienna 1010, Austria
| | - Claus Lamm
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, Vienna 1010, Austria; Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, Vienna 1010, Austria.
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Massaccesi C, Korb S, Willeit M, Quednow BB, Silani G. Effects of the mu-opioid receptor agonist morphine on facial mimicry and emotion recognition. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 142:105801. [PMID: 35609510 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Facial mimicry and emotion recognition are two socio-cognitive abilities involved in adaptive socio-emotional behavior, promoting affiliation and the establishment of social bonds. The mu-opioid receptor (MOR) system plays a key role in affiliation and social bonding. However, it remains unclear whether MORs are involved in the categorization and spontaneous mimicry of emotional facial expressions. Using a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, between-subjects design, we investigated in 82 healthy female volunteers the effects of the specific MOR agonist morphine on the recognition accuracy of emotional faces (happiness, anger, fear), and on their facial mimicry (measured with electromyography). Frequentist statistics did not reveal any significant effects of drug administration on facial mimicry or emotion recognition abilities. However, post hoc Bayesian analyses provided support for an effect of morphine on facial mimicry of fearful facial expressions. Specifically, compared to placebo, morphine reduced mimicry of fear, as shown by lower activity of the frontalis muscle. Bayesian analyses also provided support for the absence of a drug effect on mimicry of happy and angry facial expressions, which were assessed with the zygomaticus major and corrugator supercilii muscles, as well as on emotion recognition accuracy. These findings suggest that MOR activity is involved in automatic facial responses to fearful stimuli, but not in their identification. Overall, the current results, together with the previously reported small effects of opioid compounds, suggest a relatively marginal role of the MOR system in emotion simulation and perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Massaccesi
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria.
| | - Sebastian Korb
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom; Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthaeus Willeit
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Boris B Quednow
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giorgia Silani
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria
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Kosten L, Emmi SA, Missault S, Keliris GA. Combining magnetic resonance imaging with readout and/or perturbation of neural activity in animal models: Advantages and pitfalls. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:938665. [PMID: 35911983 PMCID: PMC9334914 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.938665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the main challenges in brain research is to link all aspects of brain function: on a cellular, systemic, and functional level. Multimodal neuroimaging methodology provides a continuously evolving platform. Being able to combine calcium imaging, optogenetics, electrophysiology, chemogenetics, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as part of the numerous efforts on brain functional mapping, we have a unique opportunity to better understand brain function. This review will focus on the developments in application of these tools within fMRI studies and highlight the challenges and choices neurosciences face when designing multimodal experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Kosten
- Bio-Imaging Lab, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Serena Alexa Emmi
- Bio-Imaging Lab, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Stephan Missault
- Bio-Imaging Lab, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Georgios A. Keliris
- Bio-Imaging Lab, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Foundation for Research & Technology – Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
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Zhao Y, Zhang L, Rütgen M, Sladky R, Lamm C. Neural dynamics between anterior insular cortex and right supramarginal gyrus dissociate genuine affect sharing from perceptual saliency of pretended pain. eLife 2021; 10:e69994. [PMID: 34409940 PMCID: PMC8443248 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Empathy for pain engages both shared affective responses and self-other distinction. In this study, we addressed the highly debated question of whether neural responses previously linked to affect sharing could result from the perception of salient affective displays. Moreover, we investigated how the brain network involved in affect sharing and self-other distinction underpinned our response to a pain that is either perceived as genuine or pretended (while in fact both were acted for reasons of experimental control). We found stronger activations in regions associated with affect sharing (anterior insula [aIns] and anterior mid-cingulate cortex) as well as with affective self-other distinction (right supramarginal gyrus [rSMG]), in participants watching video clips of genuine vs. pretended facial expressions of pain. Using dynamic causal modeling, we then assessed the neural dynamics between the right aIns and rSMG in these two conditions. This revealed a reduced inhibitory effect on the aIns to rSMG connection for genuine pain compared to pretended pain. For genuine pain only, brain-to-behavior regression analyses highlighted a linkage between this inhibitory effect on the one hand, and pain ratings as well as empathic traits on the other. These findings imply that if the pain of others is genuine and thus calls for an appropriate empathic response, neural responses in the aIns indeed seem related to affect sharing and self-other distinction is engaged to avoid empathic over-arousal. In contrast, if others merely pretend to be in pain, the perceptual salience of their painful expression results in neural responses that are down-regulated to avoid inappropriate affect sharing and social support.
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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 ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Lei Zhang
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Markus Rütgen
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of ViennaViennaAustria
- Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Ronald Sladky
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Claus Lamm
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of ViennaViennaAustria
- Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of ViennaViennaAustria
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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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