Altered Functional Connectivity of the Default Mode Network in Low-Empathy Subjects
Yonsei Medical Journal
;
: 1061-1065, 2017.
Article
in English
| WPRIM
| ID: wpr-87980
ABSTRACT
Empathy is the ability to identify with or make a vicariously experience of another person's feelings or thoughts based on memory and/or self-referential mental simulation. The default mode network in particular is related to self-referential empathy. In order to elucidate the possible neural mechanisms underlying empathy, we investigated the functional connectivity of the default mode network in subjects from a general population. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from 19 low-empathy subjects and 18 medium-empathy subjects. An independent component analysis was used to identify the default mode network, and differences in functional connectivity strength were compared between the two groups. The low-empathy group showed lower functional connectivity of the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex (Brodmann areas 9 and 32) within the default mode network, compared to the medium-empathy group. The results of the present study suggest that empathy is related to functional connectivity of the medial prefrontal cortex/anterior cingulate cortex within the default mode network. Functional decreases in connectivity among low-empathy subjects may reflect an impairment of self-referential mental simulation.
Full text:
Available
Index:
WPRIM (Western Pacific)
Main subject:
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
/
Prefrontal Cortex
/
Empathy
/
Functional Neuroimaging
/
Gyrus Cinguli
/
Memory
Language:
English
Journal:
Yonsei Medical Journal
Year:
2017
Type:
Article
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