Distinct neural correlates of emotional and cognitive empathy in older adults

Psychiatry Research
Raeanne C MooreLisa T Eyler

Abstract

Empathy is thought to be a mechanism underlying prosocial behavior across the lifespan, yet little is known about how levels of empathy relate to individual differences in brain functioning among older adults. In this exploratory study, we examined the neural correlates of affective and cognitive empathy in older adults. Thirty older adults (M=79 years) underwent fMRI scanning and neuropsychological testing and completed a test of affective and cognitive empathy. Brain response during processing of cognitive and emotional stimuli was measured by fMRI in a priori and task-related regions and was correlated with levels of empathy. Older adults with higher levels of affective empathy showed more deactivation in the amygdala and insula during a working memory task, whereas those with higher cognitive empathy showed greater insula activation during a response inhibition task. Our preliminary findings suggest that brain systems linked to emotional and social processing respond differently among older adults with more or less affective and cognitive empathy. That these relationships can be seen both during affective and non-emotional tasks of "cold" cognitive abilities suggests that empathy may impact social behavior through both emot...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jul 28, 2016·Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience·Peng ChenXiaochu Zhang
Jul 5, 2017·Neuroscience Letters·Antonio Del CasalePaolo Girardi
Oct 17, 2018·Psychological Research·D J ShawT Urbánek
Jul 21, 2017·Current Psychology·Minna T LyonsEmily J Bethell
Jun 28, 2019·Frontiers in Psychiatry·Janelle N Beadle, Christine E de la Vega
May 24, 2019·Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience·Carme UribeBarbara Segura
Apr 11, 2021·NeuroImage. Clinical·Elisabetta SarassoMassimo Filippi

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