Alexithymia and Empathy Predict Changes in Autonomic Arousal During Affective Stimulation

Bogdanov, Volodymyr B.; Bogdanova, Olena V.; Gorlov, Dmytro S.; Gorgo, Yuriy; Dirckx, J.J.J.; Makarchuk, Mykola; Schoenen, Jean; Critchley, Hugo

doi:10.1097/wnn.0000000000000002

Cited by 29 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 79 publications

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“…Then, through cognitive processing in cortical areas, including the insular, somatosensory, and various prefrontal regions, introspectively accessible experiences emerge. Findings from patients with autonomic failure and alexithymia (119), although superficially supportive, primarily show quantitative changes in subjective experience, more consistent with a modulatory role of body feedback.…”

Section: Emotions In Light Of the First-vs Higher-order Debatementioning

confidence: 75%

A higher-order theory of emotional consciousness

LeDoux

Brown

2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

436

417

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Emotional states of consciousness, or what are typically called emotional feelings, are traditionally viewed as being innately programmed in subcortical areas of the brain, and are often treated as different from cognitive states of consciousness, such as those related to the perception of external stimuli. We argue that conscious experiences, regardless of their content, arise from one system in the brain. In this view, what differs in emotional and nonemotional states are the kinds of inputs that are processed by a general cortical network of cognition, a network essential for conscious experiences. Although subcortical circuits are not directly responsible for conscious feelings, they provide nonconscious inputs that coalesce with other kinds of neural signals in the cognitive assembly of conscious emotional experiences. In building the case for this proposal, we defend a modified version of what is known as the higher-order theory of consciousness.uch progress has been made in conceptualizing consciousness in recent years. This work has focused on the question of how we come to be aware of our sensory world, and has suggested that perceptual consciousness emerges via cognitive processing in cortical circuits that assemble conscious experiences in real-time. Emotional states of consciousness, on the other hand, have traditionally been viewed as involving innately programmed experiences that arise from subcortical circuits.Our thesis is that the brain mechanisms that give rise to conscious emotional feelings are not fundamentally different from those that give rise to perceptual conscious experiences. Both, we propose, involve higher-order representations (HORs) of lowerorder information by cortically based general networks of cognition (GNC). Thus, subcortical circuits are not responsible for feelings, but instead provide lower-order, nonconscious inputs that coalesce with other kinds of neural signals in the cognitive assembly of conscious emotional experiences by cortical circuits (the distinction between cortical and subcortical circuits is defined in SI Appendix, Box 1). Our theory goes beyond traditional higher-order theory (HOT), arguing that self-centered higherorder states are essential for emotional experiences.Emotion, Consciousness, and the Brain Detailed understanding of the emotional brain, and theorizing about it, is largely based on studies that fall under the heading of "fear." We will therefore focus on this body of work in discussing emotional consciousness. In light of this approach, we define "fear" as the conscious feeling one has when in danger. Although our conclusions may not apply equally well to all emotions, we maintain that the lessons from fear provide general principles that can at least be used as a starting point for theorizing about many emotions.The Amygdala Fear Circuit View. Emotions like fear are often said to have been inherited from animal ancestors (1-6). These "basic emotions" are typically proposed to be wired into the brain's limbic system (7). Although the limbic sy...

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Section: Emotions In Light Of the First-vs Higher-order Debatementioning

confidence: 75%

A higher-order theory of emotional consciousness

LeDoux

Brown

2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

436

417

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“…Sterlini and Bryant [46] showed that hyperarousal and anxiety were strongly predictive for peritraumatic dissociation in first-time skydivers. At the same time, increased autonomic arousal and slower habituation after exposure to negative emotional stimuli have been shown to be associated with alexithymia [47]. Taylor et al [48] suggested that alexithymia as a response to stress is accompanied by prolonged states of emotional arousal.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Childhood Trauma to Adult Dissociation: The Role of PTSD and Alexithymia

et al. 2016

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Background: The mechanism of how childhood trauma leads to increased risk for adult dissociation is not sufficiently understood. We sought to investigate the predicting effects and the putatively mediating roles of PTSD and alexithymia on the path from childhood trauma to adult dissociation. Methods: A total of 666 day-clinic outpatients were administered the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS), and the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) and controlled for sex, age, and the Global Symptom Index (GSI). Linear regression analyses and mediation analyses were applied. Results: Independent predictive effects on dissociation were found for childhood trauma, alexithymia and PDS, even after adjusting for GSI. Effects of childhood neglect on dissociation were slightly stronger than of abuse. Alexithymia did not mediate the path from childhood trauma to dissociation. Mediation by PDS was specific for childhood abuse, with all PTSD symptom clusters being significantly involved. Conclusions: Childhood abuse and neglect are important predictors of dissociation. While the effects of abuse are mediated by PTSD, the mechanism of how neglect leads to dissociation remains unclear. The results further support the predictive value of alexithymia for adult dissociation above and beyond the effects of childhood trauma, PTSD, and GSI scores.

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“…Along these lines, only a few additional studies assessed habituation of physiological emotional responses in alexithymia: Bogdanov et al () and Rabavilas () showed impaired skin conductance habituation, but in contrast Pollatos et al () found no differences in heart rate and skin conductance between alexithymic and control participants during recovery from a social stressor. Papciak, Feuerstein, and Spiegel () also did not find group differences in recovery from stress while Connelly and Denney () found higher reactivity to a stressor during recovery but only in self‐report and not in physiology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emotion dysregulation in alexithymia: Startle reactivity to fearful affective imagery and its relation to heart rate variability

Panayiotou

Constantinou

2017

Psychophysiology

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Alexithymia is associated with deficiencies in recognizing and expressing emotions and impaired emotion regulation, though few studies have verified the latter assertion using objective measures. This study examined startle reflex modulation by fearful imagery and its associations with heart rate variability in alexithymia. Fifty-four adults (27 alexithymic) imagined previously normed fear scripts. Startle responses were assessed during baseline, first exposure, and reexposure. During first exposure, participants, in separate trials, engaged in either shallow or deep emotion processing, giving emphasis on descriptive or affective aspects of imagery, respectively. Resting heart rate variability was assessed during 2 min of rest prior to the experiment, with high alexithymic participants demonstrating significantly higher LF/HF (low frequency/high frequency) ratio than controls. Deep processing was associated with nonsignificantly larger and faster startle responses at first exposure for alexithymic participants. Lower LF/HF ratio, reflecting higher parasympathetic cardiac activity, predicted greater startle amplitude habituation for alexithymia but lower habituation for controls. Results suggest that, when exposed to prolonged threat, alexithymics may adjust poorly, showing a smaller initial defensive response but slower habituation. This pattern seems related to their low emotion regulation ability as indexed by heart rate variability.

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Alexithymia and Empathy Predict Changes in Autonomic Arousal During Affective Stimulation

Cited by 29 publications

References 79 publications

A higher-order theory of emotional consciousness

A higher-order theory of emotional consciousness

From Childhood Trauma to Adult Dissociation: The Role of PTSD and Alexithymia

Emotion dysregulation in alexithymia: Startle reactivity to fearful affective imagery and its relation to heart rate variability

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