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Related Concept Videos

Empathy02:34

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Some researchers suggest that altruism operates on empathy. Empathy is the capacity to understand another person’s perspective, to feel what he or she feels. An empathetic person makes an emotional connection with others and feels compelled to help (Batson, 1991). Empathy can be expressed in several ways, including cognitive, affective, and motor.
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Related Experiment Video

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Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex
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Published on: April 15, 2015

Prefrontal cortex glutamate correlates with mental perspective-taking.

Christiane Montag1, Florian Schubert, Andreas Heinz

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany. christiane.montag@charite.de

Plos One
|December 9, 2008
PubMed
Summary

This study found that glutamate in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is linked to "perspective taking," a key aspect of empathy. This suggests the glutamate system plays a role in cognitive empathy in healthy individuals.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Neuroimaging

Background:

  • Theory of mind and empathy deficits are hallmarks of psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and autism.
  • Prefrontal cortex (PFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) are crucial for self-monitoring, perspective-taking, and empathy.
  • Glutamate system dysfunction is implicated in psychiatric diseases with empathy deficits, but its role in specific empathy dimensions is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between glutamate concentrations in specific brain regions and different dimensions of empathy.
  • To explore the role of the glutamate system in cognitive and affective empathy in healthy individuals.

Main Methods:

  • 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) was used to measure absolute glutamate concentrations in the ACC, left dorsolateral PFC, and left hippocampus of 17 healthy participants.
  • The Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) questionnaire assessed three dimensions of empathy: perspective taking, empathic concern, and personal distress.
  • Linear regression analysis examined the association between glutamate levels and IRI subscores.

Main Results:

  • Glutamate concentration in the dorsolateral PFC was significantly predicted by the IRI factor "perspective taking" (p=0.018).
  • No significant association was found between dorsolateral PFC glutamate and "empathic concern" or "personal distress".
  • No significant relationships were detected between IRI subscores and glutamate levels in the ACC or left hippocampus.

Conclusions:

  • This is the first study to link the glutamate system to specific dimensions of empathy and theory of mind.
  • Findings support the concept that prefrontal glutamatergic projections mediate executive top-down control of behavior.
  • This preliminary finding requires replication in an independent sample to confirm the role of glutamate in empathy.