The neural bases of empathy

Empathy is understood to refer to the capacity to vicariously experience the emotional states of others, and is considered to play a crucial role in many forms of adaptive social interaction. It has two components, one of which is cognitive and strongly related to the capacity to abstract the mental processes of other people, while the other is emotional and would be the reaction to the emotional state of another person. The development of neuroimaging techniques has made it possible to further our knowledge of the neuronal circuits involved in empathy by using a variety of strategies in the laboratory. The main studies in this field have focused on the presentation of stimuli. Thus, we have distinguished between those that involve emotions or expressing disgust, somatosensory and painful stimuli, and also those that analyse the relationship between empathy and forgiveness.

Our aim in this study was to offer an updated view of the brain structures involved in empathy by analysing the different methodological strategies used in the scientific literature on this topic. Furthermore, we also sought to show the behavioural and neuroanatomical dissociation that exists between the cognitive and emotional components of empathy, as well as the fact that the majority of neural circuits regulating empathy are similar to those related to aggression and violence.