The neural correlates of understanding the other's distress: A positron emission tomography investigation of accurate empathy

S. G. Shamay-Tsoory; H. Lester; R. Chisin; O. Israel; R. Bar-Shalom; A. Peretz; R. Tomer; Z. Tsitrinbaum; J. Aharon-Peretz

doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.05.012

The neural correlates of understanding the other's distress: A positron emission tomography investigation of accurate empathy

S. G. Shamay-Tsoory, H. Lester, R. Chisin, O. Israel, R. Bar-Shalom, A. Peretz, R. Tomer, Z. Tsitrinbaum, J. Aharon-Peretz

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to assess the relationship between brain metabolism and empathic response. Six right-handed healthy volunteers were scanned with PET and fluorodeoxyglucose twice: during an interview about neutral story themes and during an empathic response eliciting interview about a story of a character in distress. Metabolic values in the medial and superior frontal gyrus, occipitotemporal cortices, thalamus and the cerebellum were higher during empathic response than during the neutral theme interview. Furthermore, the subjects' empathy scores were positively correlated with metabolism in the medial aspects of the superior frontal gyrus. Our results suggest that empathy consists of both affective and cognitive components and hence may involve cortices that mediate simulation of emotional processing and mental state attribution.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	468-472
Number of pages	5
Journal	NeuroImage
Volume	27
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.05.012
State	Published - 15 Aug 2005

Keywords

Empathy
Positron emission tomography
Simulation
Theory of mind

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Neurology
Cognitive Neuroscience

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10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.05.012

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abstract = "The purpose of the present study was to assess the relationship between brain metabolism and empathic response. Six right-handed healthy volunteers were scanned with PET and fluorodeoxyglucose twice: during an interview about neutral story themes and during an empathic response eliciting interview about a story of a character in distress. Metabolic values in the medial and superior frontal gyrus, occipitotemporal cortices, thalamus and the cerebellum were higher during empathic response than during the neutral theme interview. Furthermore, the subjects' empathy scores were positively correlated with metabolism in the medial aspects of the superior frontal gyrus. Our results suggest that empathy consists of both affective and cognitive components and hence may involve cortices that mediate simulation of emotional processing and mental state attribution.",

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AU - Shamay-Tsoory, S. G.

AU - Lester, H.

AU - Chisin, R.

AU - Israel, O.

AU - Bar-Shalom, R.

AU - Peretz, A.

AU - Tomer, R.

AU - Tsitrinbaum, Z.

AU - Aharon-Peretz, J.

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AB - The purpose of the present study was to assess the relationship between brain metabolism and empathic response. Six right-handed healthy volunteers were scanned with PET and fluorodeoxyglucose twice: during an interview about neutral story themes and during an empathic response eliciting interview about a story of a character in distress. Metabolic values in the medial and superior frontal gyrus, occipitotemporal cortices, thalamus and the cerebellum were higher during empathic response than during the neutral theme interview. Furthermore, the subjects' empathy scores were positively correlated with metabolism in the medial aspects of the superior frontal gyrus. Our results suggest that empathy consists of both affective and cognitive components and hence may involve cortices that mediate simulation of emotional processing and mental state attribution.

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KW - Positron emission tomography

KW - Simulation

KW - Theory of mind

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The neural correlates of understanding the other's distress: A positron emission tomography investigation of accurate empathy

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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