1
|
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.
Collapse
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,
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Saul MA, He X, Black S, Charles F. A Two-Person Neuroscience Approach for Social Anxiety: A Paradigm With Interbrain Synchrony and Neurofeedback. Front Psychol 2022; 12:568921. [PMID: 35095625 PMCID: PMC8796854 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.568921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder has been widely recognised as one of the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders. Individuals with social anxiety disorder experience difficulties during social interactions that are essential in the regular functioning of daily routines; perpetually motivating research into the aetiology, maintenance and treatment methods. Traditionally, social and clinical neuroscience studies incorporated protocols testing one participant at a time. However, it has been recently suggested that such protocols are unable to directly assess social interaction performance, which can be revealed by testing multiple individuals simultaneously. The principle of two-person neuroscience highlights the interpersonal aspect of social interactions that observes behaviour and brain activity from both (or all) constituents of the interaction, rather than analysing on an individual level or an individual observation of a social situation. Therefore, two-person neuroscience could be a promising direction for assessment and intervention of the social anxiety disorder. In this paper, we propose a novel paradigm which integrates two-person neuroscience in a neurofeedback protocol. Neurofeedback and interbrain synchrony, a branch of two-person neuroscience, are discussed in their own capacities for their relationship with social anxiety disorder and relevance to the paradigm. The newly proposed paradigm sets out to assess the social interaction performance using interbrain synchrony between interacting individuals, and to employ a multi-user neurofeedback protocol for intervention of the social anxiety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcia A. Saul
- Faculty of Media and Communication, Centre for Digital Entertainment, Bournemouth University, Poole, United Kingdom
| | - Xun He
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Poole, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Xun He
| | - Stuart Black
- Applied Neuroscience Solutions Ltd., Frimley Green, United Kingdom
| | - Fred Charles
- Department of Creative Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Poole, United Kingdom
- Fred Charles
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sharing Happy Stories Increases Interpersonal Closeness: Interpersonal Brain Synchronization as a Neural Indicator. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0245-21.2021. [PMID: 34750155 PMCID: PMC8607910 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0245-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Our lives revolve around sharing emotional stories (i.e., happy and sad stories) with other people. Such emotional communication enhances the similarity of story comprehension and neural across speaker-listener pairs. The theory of Emotions as Social Information Model (EASI) suggests that such emotional communication may influence interpersonal closeness. However, few studies have examined speaker-listener interpersonal brain synchronization (IBS) during emotional communication and whether it is associated with meaningful aspects of the speaker-listener interpersonal relationship. Here, one speaker watched emotional videos and communicated the content of the videos to 32 people as listeners (happy/sad/neutral group). Both speaker and listeners’ neural activities were recorded using EEG. After listening, we assessed the interpersonal closeness between the speaker and listeners. Compared with the sad group, sharing happy stories showed a better recall quality and a higher rating of interpersonal closeness. The happy group showed higher IBS in the frontal cortex and left temporoparietal cortex than the sad group. The relationship between frontal IBS and interpersonal closeness was moderated by sharing happy/sad stories. Exploratory analysis using support vector regression (SVR) showed that the IBS could also predict the ratings of interpersonal closeness. These results suggest that frontal IBS could serve as an indicator of whether sharing emotional stories facilitate interpersonal closeness. These findings improve our understanding of emotional communication among individuals that guides behaviors during interpersonal interactions.
Collapse
|
4
|
Hirsch J, Tiede M, Zhang X, Noah JA, Salama-Manteau A, Biriotti M. Interpersonal Agreement and Disagreement During Face-to-Face Dialogue: An fNIRS Investigation. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 14:606397. [PMID: 33584223 PMCID: PMC7874076 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.606397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the neural systems that underlie spoken language are well-known, how they adapt to evolving social cues during natural conversations remains an unanswered question. In this work we investigate the neural correlates of face-to-face conversations between two individuals using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and acoustical analyses of concurrent audio recordings. Nineteen pairs of healthy adults engaged in live discussions on two controversial topics where their opinions were either in agreement or disagreement. Participants were matched according to their a priori opinions on these topics as assessed by questionnaire. Acoustic measures of the recorded speech including the fundamental frequency range, median fundamental frequency, syllable rate, and acoustic energy were elevated during disagreement relative to agreement. Consistent with both the a priori opinion ratings and the acoustic findings, neural activity associated with long-range functional networks, rather than the canonical language areas, was also differentiated by the two conditions. Specifically, the frontoparietal system including bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, left supramarginal gyrus, angular gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus showed increased activity while talking during disagreement. In contrast, talking during agreement was characterized by increased activity in a social and attention network including right supramarginal gyrus, bilateral frontal eye-fields, and left frontopolar regions. Further, these social and visual attention networks were more synchronous across brains during agreement than disagreement. Rather than localized modulation of the canonical language system, these findings are most consistent with a model of distributed and adaptive language-related processes including cross-brain neural coupling that serves dynamic verbal exchanges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joy Hirsch
- Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.,Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Tiede
- Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.,Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Xian Zhang
- Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - J Adam Noah
- Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Alexandre Salama-Manteau
- Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Maurice Biriotti
- Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhang X, Noah JA, Dravida S, Hirsch J. Optimization of wavelet coherence analysis as a measure of neural synchrony during hyperscanning using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. NEUROPHOTONICS 2020; 7:015010. [PMID: 32206677 PMCID: PMC7047008 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.7.1.015010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Significance: The expanding field of human social interaction is enabled by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) that acquires hemodynamic signals during live two-person interactions. These advances call for development of methods to quantify interactive processes. Aim: Wavelet coherence analysis has been applied to cross-brain neural coupling. However, fNIRS-specific computations have not been explored. This investigation determines the effects of global mean removal, wavelet equation, and choice of oxyhemoglobin versus deoxyhemoglobin signals. Approach: We compare signals with a known coherence with acquired signals to determine optimal computational approaches. The known coherence was calculated using three visual stimulation sequences of a contrast-reversing checkerboard convolved with the canonical hemodynamic response function. This standard was compared with acquired human fNIRS responses within visual cortex using the same sequences. Results: Observed coherence was consistent with known coherence with highest correlations within the wavelength range between 10 and 20 s. Removal of the global mean improved the correlation irrespective of the specific equation for wavelet coherence, and the oxyhemoglobin signal was associated with a marginal correlation advantage. Conclusions: These findings provide both methodological and computational guidance that enhances the validity and interpretability of wavelet coherence analysis for fNIRS signals acquired during live social interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xian Zhang
- Yale School of Medicine, Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
| | - J. Adam Noah
- Yale School of Medicine, Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
| | - Swethasri Dravida
- Yale School of Medicine, Medical Scientist Training Program, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
| | - Joy Hirsch
- Yale School of Medicine, Brain Function Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Comparative Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
- University College London, Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Hirsch J, Adam Noah J, Zhang X, Dravida S, Ono Y. A cross-brain neural mechanism for human-to-human verbal communication. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2018; 13:907-920. [PMID: 30137601 PMCID: PMC6137318 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsy070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural mechanisms that mediate dynamic social interactions remain understudied despite their evolutionary significance. The interactive brain hypothesis proposes that interactive social cues are processed by dedicated brain substrates and provides a general theoretical framework for investigating the underlying neural mechanisms of social interaction. We test the specific case of this hypothesis proposing that canonical language areas are upregulated and dynamically coupled across brains during social interactions based on talking and listening. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was employed to acquire simultaneous deoxyhemoglobin (deOxyHb) signals of the brain on partners who alternated between speaking and listening while doing an Object Naming & Description task with and without interaction in a natural setting. Comparison of interactive and non-interactive conditions confirmed an increase in neural activity associated with Wernicke's area including the superior temporal gyrus (STG) during interaction (P = 0.04). However, the hypothesis was not supported for Broca's area. Cross-brain coherence determined by wavelet analyses of signals originating from the STG and the subcentral area was greater during interaction than non-interaction (P < 0.01). In support of the interactive brain hypothesis these findings suggest a dynamically coupled cross-brain neural mechanism dedicated to pathways that share interpersonal information.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joy Hirsch
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - J Adam Noah
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Xian Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Swethasri Dravida
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Medical Student Training Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yumie Ono
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Electronics and Bioinformatics, School of Science and Technology, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ibáñez A, García AM, Esteves S, Yoris A, Muñoz E, Reynaldo L, Pietto ML, Adolfi F, Manes F. Social neuroscience: undoing the schism between neurology and psychiatry. Soc Neurosci 2018; 13:1-39. [PMID: 27707008 PMCID: PMC11177280 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2016.1245214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Multiple disorders once jointly conceived as "nervous diseases" became segregated by the distinct institutional traditions forged in neurology and psychiatry. As a result, each field specialized in the study and treatment of a subset of such conditions. Here we propose new avenues for interdisciplinary interaction through a triangulation of both fields with social neuroscience. To this end, we review evidence from five relevant domains (facial emotion recognition, empathy, theory of mind, moral cognition, and social context assessment), highlighting their common disturbances across neurological and psychiatric conditions and discussing their multiple pathophysiological mechanisms. Our proposal is anchored in multidimensional evidence, including behavioral, neurocognitive, and genetic findings. From a clinical perspective, this work paves the way for dimensional and transdiagnostic approaches, new pharmacological treatments, and educational innovations rooted in a combined neuropsychiatric training. Research-wise, it fosters new models of the social brain and a novel platform to explore the interplay of cognitive and social functions. Finally, we identify new challenges for this synergistic framework.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Ibáñez
- a Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation , Favaloro University , Buenos Aires , Argentina
- b National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) , Buenos Aires , Argentina
- c Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology , Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez , Santiago de Chile , Chile
- d Universidad Autónoma del Caribe , Barranquilla , Colombia
- e Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders , Australian Research Council (ACR) , Sydney , Australia
| | - Adolfo M García
- a Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation , Favaloro University , Buenos Aires , Argentina
- b National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) , Buenos Aires , Argentina
- f Faculty of Elementary and Special Education (FEEyE) , National University of Cuyo (UNCuyo) , Mendoza , Argentina
| | - Sol Esteves
- a Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation , Favaloro University , Buenos Aires , Argentina
| | - Adrián Yoris
- a Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation , Favaloro University , Buenos Aires , Argentina
- b National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) , Buenos Aires , Argentina
| | - Edinson Muñoz
- g Departamento de Lingüística y Literatura, Facultad de Humanidades , Universidad de Santiago de Chile , Santiago , Chile
| | - Lucila Reynaldo
- a Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation , Favaloro University , Buenos Aires , Argentina
| | | | - Federico Adolfi
- a Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation , Favaloro University , Buenos Aires , Argentina
| | - Facundo Manes
- a Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation , Favaloro University , Buenos Aires , Argentina
- b National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) , Buenos Aires , Argentina
- e Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders , Australian Research Council (ACR) , Sydney , Australia
- i Department of Experimental Psychology , University of South Carolina , Columbia , SC , USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Hirsch J, Zhang X, Noah JA, Ono Y. Frontal temporal and parietal systems synchronize within and across brains during live eye-to-eye contact. Neuroimage 2017; 157:314-330. [PMID: 28619652 PMCID: PMC5863547 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Revised: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Human eye-to-eye contact is a primary source of social cues and communication. In spite of the biological significance of this interpersonal interaction, the underlying neural processes are not well-understood. This knowledge gap, in part, reflects limitations of conventional neuroimaging methods, including solitary confinement in the bore of a scanner and minimal tolerance of head movement that constrain investigations of natural, two-person interactions. However, these limitations are substantially resolved by recent technical developments in functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a non-invasive spectral absorbance technique that detects changes in blood oxygen levels in the brain by using surface-mounted optical sensors. Functional NIRS is tolerant of limited head motion and enables simultaneous acquisitions of neural signals from two interacting partners in natural conditions. We employ fNIRS to advance a data-driven theoretical framework for two-person neuroscience motivated by the Interactive Brain Hypothesis which proposes that interpersonal interaction between individuals evokes neural mechanisms not engaged during solo, non-interactive, behaviors. Within this context, two specific hypotheses related to eye-to-eye contact, functional specificity and functional synchrony, were tested. The functional specificity hypothesis proposes that eye-to-eye contact engages specialized, within-brain, neural systems; and the functional synchrony hypothesis proposes that eye-to-eye contact engages specialized, across-brain, neural processors that are synchronized between dyads. Signals acquired during eye-to-eye contact between partners (interactive condition) were compared to signals acquired during mutual gaze at the eyes of a picture-face (non-interactive condition). In accordance with the specificity hypothesis, responses during eye-to-eye contact were greater than eye-to-picture gaze for a left frontal cluster that included pars opercularis (associated with canonical language production functions known as Broca's region), pre- and supplementary motor cortices (associated with articulatory systems), as well as the subcentral area. This frontal cluster was also functionally connected to a cluster located in the left superior temporal gyrus (associated with canonical language receptive functions known as Wernicke's region), primary somatosensory cortex, and the subcentral area. In accordance with the functional synchrony hypothesis, cross-brain coherence during eye-to-eye contact relative to eye-to-picture gaze increased for signals originating within left superior temporal, middle temporal, and supramarginal gyri as well as the pre- and supplementary motor cortices of both interacting brains. These synchronous cross-brain regions are also associated with known language functions, and were partner-specific (i.e., disappeared with randomly assigned partners). Together, both within and across-brain neural correlates of eye-to-eye contact included components of previously established productive and receptive language systems. These findings reveal a left frontal, temporal, and parietal long-range network that mediates neural responses during eye-to-eye contact between dyads, and advance insight into elemental mechanisms of social and interpersonal interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joy Hirsch
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, UK.
| | - Xian Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - J Adam Noah
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Yumie Ono
- Department of Electronics and Bioinformatics, School of Science and Technology, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Kawamichi H, Sugawara SK, Hamano YH, Makita K, Kochiyama T, Sadato N. Increased frequency of social interaction is associated with enjoyment enhancement and reward system activation. Sci Rep 2016; 6:24561. [PMID: 27090501 PMCID: PMC4835785 DOI: 10.1038/srep24561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Positive social interactions contribute to the sense that one's life has meaning. Enjoyment of feelings associated through social interaction motivates humans to build social connections according to their personal preferences. Therefore, we hypothesized that social interaction itself activates the reward system in a manner that depends upon individual interaction preferences. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study in which 38 participants played a virtual ball-toss game in which the number of ball tosses to the participant was either similar to (normal-frequency condition) or higher than (high-frequency condition) the number of tosses to the other players. Participants reported greater-than-anticipated enjoyment during the high-frequency condition, suggesting that receiving a social reward led to unexpected positive feelings. Consistent with this, the high-frequency condition produced stronger activation in the ventral striatum, which is part of the reward system, and the precuneus, representing positive self-image, which might be translated to social reward. Furthermore, ventral striatal activation covaried with individual participants' preference for interactions with others. These findings suggest that an elevated frequency of social interaction is represented as a social reward, which might motivate individuals to promote social interaction in a manner that is modulated by personal preference.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Kawamichi
- Graduate School of Human Health Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, 116-8551 Japan.,Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of Cerebral Research, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8585 Japan.,School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gunma University, Maebashi, 371-8511 Japan
| | - Sho K Sugawara
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of Cerebral Research, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8585 Japan
| | - Yuki H Hamano
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of Cerebral Research, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8585 Japan.,Department of Physiological Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, 240-0015 Japan
| | - Kai Makita
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of Cerebral Research, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8585 Japan
| | | | - Norihiro Sadato
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of Cerebral Research, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8585 Japan.,Department of Physiological Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, 240-0015 Japan
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Baez S, García AM, Ibanez A. The Social Context Network Model in Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2016; 30:379-396. [PMID: 27130326 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2016_443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The role of contextual modulations has been extensively studied in basic sensory and cognitive processes. However, little is known about their impact on social cognition, let alone their disruption in disorders compromising such a domain. In this chapter, we flesh out the social context network model (SCNM), a neuroscientific proposal devised to address the issue. In SCNM terms, social context effects rely on a fronto-temporo-insular network in charge of (a) updating context cues to make predictions, (b) consolidating context-target associative learning, and (c) coordinating internal and external milieus. First, we characterize various social cognition domains as context-dependent phenomena. Then, we review behavioral and neural evidence of social context impairments in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), highlighting their relation with key SCNM hubs. Next, we show that other psychiatric and neurological conditions involve context-processing impairments following damage to the brain regions included in the model. Finally, we call for an ecological approach to social cognition assessment, moving beyond widespread abstract and decontextualized methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Baez
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Translational and Cognitive Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Pacheco de Melo 1860, 1126, Buenos Aires, Argentina. .,National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina. .,UDP-INECO Foundation Core on Neuroscience (UIFCoN), Diego Portales University, Santiago, Chile. .,Grupo de Investigación Cerebro Y Cognición Social, Bogotá, Colombia.
| | - Adolfo M García
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Translational and Cognitive Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Pacheco de Melo 1860, 1126, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,UDP-INECO Foundation Core on Neuroscience (UIFCoN), Diego Portales University, Santiago, Chile.,Faculty of Elementary and Special Education (FEEyE), National University of Cuyo (UNCuyo), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Agustín Ibanez
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina. .,Institute of Translational and Cognitive Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina. .,Universidad Autónoma Del Caribe, Barranquilla, Colombia. .,Laboratory of Neuroscience, Adolfo Ibáñez University, Santiago, Chile. .,Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence in Cognition and Its Disorders, Sydney, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|