The neural networks underlying reappraisal of empathy for pain

Abstract

Emotion regulation plays a central role in empathy. Only by successfully regulating our own emotions can we reliably use them in order to interpret the content and valence of others’ emotions correctly. In an fMRI-based experiment, we show that regulating one’s emotion via reappraisal modulated biased emotional intensity ratings following an empathy for pain manipulation. Task based analysis revealed increased activity in the right IFG when painful emotions were regulated using reappraisal, whereas empathic feelings that were not regulated resulted in increased activity bilaterally in the precuneus, SMG and MFG, as well as the right parahippocampal gyrus. Functional connectivity analysis indicated that the right IFG plays a role in the regulation of empathy for pain, through its connections with regions in the empathy for pain network. Furthermore, These connections were further modulated as a function of the type of regulation used: In sum, our results suggest that accurate empathic judgment (i.e. empathy that is unbiased) relies on a complex interaction between neural regions involved in emotion regulation and regions associated with empathy for pain. Thus, demonstrating the importance of emotion regulation in the formulation of complex social systems and sheds light on the intricate network implicated in this complex process.

Investigating the Contribution of White Matter Hyperintensities and Cortical Thickness to Empathy in Neurodegenerative and Cerebrovascular Diseases

“…The right cingulate cortex and insula have been implicated in emotion contagion and emotional empathy [89]. Furthermore, some functional neuroimaging studies have demonstrated the prefrontal cortex, frontal pole, and temporal regions in mediating complex cognitive function, including PT and mentalisation [5,90,91]. Multani et al [5] found a loss of cognitive empathy and emotional detection deficit in AD, bvFTD, and PD that were related to decreased functional connectivity mainly in the right inferior temporal gyrus, frontal pole, paracingulate gyrus, insular, and inferior parietal lobule.…”

Empathy for Pain

“…In contrast, reappraisal resulted in increased connectivity with regions involved in the simulation of other pain, as well as self-pain processing [42]. Activation in the left supramarginal gyrus (SMG) and the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) was found during empathic watch only, suggesting that these two regions play a critical role and are associated with the process of feeling empathy for the pain of others [41].…”

“…A study compared activated region with fMRI for empathising with painful vs non-painful scenarios as well as for reappraising painful vs non-painful scenarios. Empathising with painful scenarios was associated with increased connectivity with the mid-cingulate and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), as well as with the bilateral post-central cortex [41].…”

Identifying Variables That Predict Depression Following the General Lockdown During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Based on previous experiments conducted in our lab (Naor et al, 2018(Naor et al, , 2020, we used a set of pictures depicting the faces of ten actor models with different emotional expressions (Blais et al, 2012). The picture stimuli database as well as normative data are available at the following address: http://mapageweb.umontreal.…”

“…The emotional expressions were morphed to create a sequential morph of 100 pictures for each character. For detailed information, please see Naor et al (2018Naor et al ( , 2020. In our experiment, six models were used (i.e., three males and three female models), each depicting two emotions (happy and angry) at five levels of intensity (10, 30, 50, 70, and 90%), accounting for a total of 60 exemplars.…”