Meta-analytic evidence for common and distinct neural networks associated with directly experienced pain and empathy for pain

Lamm, Claus; Decety, Jean; Singer, Tania

doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.10.014

Cited by 1,713 publications

(1,794 citation statements)

References 68 publications

(76 reference statements)

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“…This may seem surprising given that these regions have previously been implicated in empathy and/or social behavior (15,29,30,37). Although it is difficult to interpret a null finding, because there can be a number of reasons that a particular neural response is not observed, we note that in this experiment, participants were performing their task in a different reference frame (see refs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Neurocomputational mechanisms of prosocial learning and links to empathy

Lockwood

Apps

Valton

et al. 2016

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

182

236

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Reinforcement learning theory powerfully characterizes how we learn to benefit ourselves. In this theory, prediction errors-the difference between a predicted and actual outcome of a choice-drive learning. However, we do not operate in a social vacuum. To behave prosocially we must learn the consequences of our actions for other people. Empathy, the ability to vicariously experience and understand the affect of others, is hypothesized to be a critical facilitator of prosocial behaviors, but the link between empathy and prosocial behavior is still unclear. During functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) participants chose between different stimuli that were probabilistically associated with rewards for themselves (self), another person (prosocial), or no one (control). Using computational modeling, we show that people can learn to obtain rewards for others but do so more slowly than when learning to obtain rewards for themselves. fMRI revealed that activity in a posterior portion of the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex/basal forebrain (sgACC) drives learning only when we are acting in a prosocial context and signals a prosocial prediction error conforming to classical principles of reinforcement learning theory. However, there is also substantial variability in the neural and behavioral efficiency of prosocial learning, which is predicted by trait empathy. More empathic people learn more quickly when benefitting others, and their sgACC response is the most selective for prosocial learning. We thus reveal a computational mechanism driving prosocial learning in humans. This framework could provide insights into atypical prosocial behavior in those with disorders of social cognition.reinforcement learning theory | prosocial behavior | empathy | reward | subgenual anterior cingulate cortex P rosocial behaviors, namely, social behaviors or actions intended to benefit others, are a fundamental but poorly understood aspect of social interaction (1). To behave prosocially, animals need to learn about the consequences that their actions can have for others. In reinforcement learning theory (RLT), prediction errors (PEs)-differences between expected and actual outcomesdrive learning (2). RLT provides a powerful framework for understanding how animals learn to obtain rewards for themselves (3). However, the processes by which animals learn to make choices that benefit others are unknown. Here we use RLT to characterize prosocial learning, combining functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and detailed computational modeling of behavior.Studies using economic games, moral judgments, or charity donation tasks have consistently reported activity in the ventral striatum, posterior regions of the subgenual cingulate cortex/basal forebrain (hereinafter referred to as sgACC), dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during prosocial behavior (4-7). Each of these regions receives input from midbrain dopaminergic neurons (8), and these cortical regions all project to the ventral ...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Neurocomputational mechanisms of prosocial learning and links to empathy

Lockwood

Apps

Valton

et al. 2016

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

182

236

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“…30,57 In addition, previous neuroimaging studies of empathy have also suggested associations between OCD and emotional processing. 56 The neural correlates of empathy involve temporal and frontal lobe regions including the cingulate, insula, medial prefrontal cortex, 18,58,59 and orbitofrontal cortex. 60 Interestingly, these regions are related to the pathophysiology of OCD.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Two systems for empathy in obsessive-compulsive disorder: mentalizing and experience sharing

Pino

Berardis²,

Mariano

et al. 2016

Rev. Bras. Psiquiatr.

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Objective: To investigate empathic abilities in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) compared to control subjects. OCD is characterized by persistent obsessions and compulsions. Previous studies have proposed specific emotion recognition deficits in patients with OCD. The ability to recognize emotion is part of the broad construct of empathy that incorporates mentalizing and experience-sharing dimensions. Methods: Twenty-four subjects with a diagnosis of OCD and 23 control subjects underwent empathic measures. Results: Patients with OCD compared to control subjects showed deficits in all mentalizing measures. They were incapable of understanding the mental and emotional states of other people. On the other hand, in the sharing experience measures, the OCD group was able to empathize with the emotional experience of other people when they expressed emotions with positive valence, but were not able to do when the emotional valence was negative. Conclusion: Our results suggest that patients with OCD show a difficulty in mentalizing ability, whereas the deficit in sharing ability is specific for the negative emotional valence.

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“…However, one can have empathy without any action observation, i.e. reading in a novel or newspaper about the joy or plight of others, may elicit strong empathic sentiments as well (Lamm et al , 2011).…”

Section: A Role In Empathymentioning

confidence: 99%

Does dysfunction of the mirror neuron system contribute to symptoms in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

Eisen

Lemon

Kiernan

et al. 2015

Clinical Neurophysiology

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Eisen et al, Mirror Neurons in ALS 2 Declaration of interest:The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper. Eisen et al, Mirror Neurons in ALS 3 Abbreviations:ALS: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; ADM: adductor digiti minimi; APB: abductor pollicic brevis; bvFTD: Behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia; FTD: Frontotemporal dementia; fMRI: functional MRI; MNS: Mirror neuron system; M1: Primary motor cortex; PTNs: Pyramidal tract neurons; vMPFC: Ventral medial prefrontal cortex. Eisen et al, Mirror Neurons in ALS 4 AbstractThere is growing evidence that mirror neurons, initially discovered over two decades ago in the monkey, are present in the human brain. In the monkey, mirror neurons characteristically fire not only when it is performing an action, such as grasping an object, but also when observing a similar action performed by another agent (human or monkey). In this review we discuss the origin, cortical distribution and possible functions of mirror neurons as a background to exploring their potential relevance in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We have recently proposed that ALS (and the related condition of frontotemporal dementia) may be viewed as a failure of interlinked functional complexes having their origins in key evolutionary adaptations. The mirror neuron system is considered by many to be the basis of primates' social cognition, with a clear evolutionary advantage. Impaired empathy and motor control has been related to a defective mirror neuron system. In ALS, the mirror neuron system might be implicated in empathy, the split-hand syndrome, gait, speech, and related languagegesture impairments.Eisen et al, Mirror Neurons in ALS 5

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Meta-analytic evidence for common and distinct neural networks associated with directly experienced pain and empathy for pain

Cited by 1,713 publications

References 68 publications

Neurocomputational mechanisms of prosocial learning and links to empathy

Neurocomputational mechanisms of prosocial learning and links to empathy

Two systems for empathy in obsessive-compulsive disorder: mentalizing and experience sharing

Does dysfunction of the mirror neuron system contribute to symptoms in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

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