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Related Concept Videos

Empathy02:34

Empathy

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.
Neural Circuits01:25

Neural Circuits

Neural circuits and neuronal pools are two of the main structures found in the nervous system. Neural circuits are networks of neurons that work together to carry out a specific task or process. They consist of interconnected neurons and glial cells, which provide structural and metabolic support.
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...
Sympathetic Pathways: Collateral Ganglia and Adrenal Medulla01:27

Sympathetic Pathways: Collateral Ganglia and Adrenal Medulla

The sympathetic pathways of the collateral ganglia and adrenal medulla serve unique but interconnected roles in the sympathetic response.
Collateral Ganglia
Sympathetic preganglionic axons reach the collateral ganglia along the route of splanchnic nerves. These nerves bypass the sympathetic trunk and communicate with sympathetic postganglionic neurons housed in the prevertebral ganglia. These ganglia supply the organs of the abdominopelvic cavity.
The greater splanchnic nerve, formed by the...
Physiology of Emotion01:20

Physiology of Emotion

The physiology of emotions is a multifaceted process involving the autonomic nervous system, brain structures, hormones, and neurotransmitters. This intricate interplay dictates how emotions manifest in the body and influence behavior.
Autonomic Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a critical role in emotional responses by regulating involuntary physiological functions. It consists of two main components: the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. The sympathetic system...
Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System01:15

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

The limbic system, often called the "emotional brain," is a complex set of structures located deep within the brain. The intricate network of the limbic system supports a wide range of psychological functions, from emotional regulation to memory formation and sensory processing. This functional brain region encompasses specific parts of the diencephalon and the cerebrum, integrating the higher mental functions of the cerebral cortex with the primitive emotional responses of the deep brain...
What is a Sensory System?01:31

What is a Sensory System?

Sensory systems detect stimuli—such as light and sound waves—and transduce them into neural signals that can be interpreted by the nervous system. In addition to external stimuli detected by the senses, some sensory systems detect internal stimuli—such as the proprioceptors in muscles and tendons that send feedback about limb position.

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Related Experiment Video

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Observational Fear as a Model of Affective Empathy in Mice
04:14

Observational Fear as a Model of Affective Empathy in Mice

Published on: November 22, 2024

Empathy circuits.

Haakon G Engen1, Tania Singer

  • 1Department of Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.

Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|December 11, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Empathy research shows shared neural networks for experiencing and understanding emotions. Context and cognitive control flexibly modulate these empathic responses.

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Area of Science:

  • Social neuroscience
  • Affective neuroscience
  • Cognitive neuroscience

Background:

  • Empathy research reveals overlapping neural networks for direct experience and empathic responses.
  • Specific networks, including anterior insula and anterior midcingulate cortex, are consistently identified for empathy, particularly for pain.
  • Empathy generation is dynamic, utilizing action simulation and mentalizing networks based on environmental cues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the neural underpinnings of empathy.
  • To investigate the flexible nature of empathic response generation.
  • To understand the contextual modulation of empathy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of social neuroscientific investigations and meta-analyses on empathy.
  • Examination of studies on action simulation and mentalizing networks in empathy.
  • Analysis of research on contextual factors and cognitive control in modulating empathy.

Main Results:

  • Shared neural networks are involved in both first-hand affect experience and empathic responses.
  • Empathy for pain reliably activates a network including anterior insula and anterior midcingulate cortex.
  • Empathic responses are flexibly supported by action simulation and mentalizing networks, and modulated by context, motivational systems, and cognitive control.

Conclusions:

  • Empathy relies on a core set of neural networks that are also involved in direct emotional experience.
  • The generation and modulation of empathy are highly flexible, influenced by environmental information, context, and regulatory processes.
  • Understanding these neural mechanisms provides insight into social cognition and emotional regulation.