How do we empathize with another’s pain? According to mirror-matching resonance models of empathy, the observation of motor, sensory or affective states in others automatically activates corresponding representations in the observer (Preston, de Waal, 2002, Behav. Brain. Sci., 25, 1-72). A recent fMRI study has described a neural resonance mechanism within the affective division of the pain network. Sites in this division were activited by both pain perception and imagery of others pain (Singer et al., 2004, Science, 303, 1157-62). Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation we explored changes of cortico-spinal motor representations of hand muscles during the mere observation of needles entering hands, feets or non-corporeal objects. We found a highly specific inhibition of motor evoked potentials recorded from the pricked hand muscle similar to what reported during actual delivery of nociceptive stimuli (Valeriani et al., 2001, Exp. Brain Res.). Moreover, the inhibition was related to the sensory but not to the affective qualities of the empathized pain. In agreement with simulation theories of empathy, these findings indicate the somatotopic organisation of the motor counterpart of a neural system supposedly recruited during perception of and empathy for sensorial aspects of pain suffered by others. Thus, different features of empathy for pain are mapped in different neural structures. Remarkably, empathy for pain appears more ‘embodied’ in the motor system than in affective nodes of the pain matrix.
Others’ Pain Embodied in One’s Own Motor System / Avenanti A.; Bufalari I.; Aglioti S.M.. - ELETTRONICO. - (2004), pp. -------. (Intervento presentato al convegno 34th Society for Neuroscience (SfN) annual meeting tenutosi a San Diego, CA, USA nel 23-27/10/2004).
Others’ Pain Embodied in One’s Own Motor System
AVENANTI, ALESSIO;
2004
Abstract
How do we empathize with another’s pain? According to mirror-matching resonance models of empathy, the observation of motor, sensory or affective states in others automatically activates corresponding representations in the observer (Preston, de Waal, 2002, Behav. Brain. Sci., 25, 1-72). A recent fMRI study has described a neural resonance mechanism within the affective division of the pain network. Sites in this division were activited by both pain perception and imagery of others pain (Singer et al., 2004, Science, 303, 1157-62). Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation we explored changes of cortico-spinal motor representations of hand muscles during the mere observation of needles entering hands, feets or non-corporeal objects. We found a highly specific inhibition of motor evoked potentials recorded from the pricked hand muscle similar to what reported during actual delivery of nociceptive stimuli (Valeriani et al., 2001, Exp. Brain Res.). Moreover, the inhibition was related to the sensory but not to the affective qualities of the empathized pain. In agreement with simulation theories of empathy, these findings indicate the somatotopic organisation of the motor counterpart of a neural system supposedly recruited during perception of and empathy for sensorial aspects of pain suffered by others. Thus, different features of empathy for pain are mapped in different neural structures. Remarkably, empathy for pain appears more ‘embodied’ in the motor system than in affective nodes of the pain matrix.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
