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Relationship between individual differences in pain empathy and task- and resting-state EEG.
Zhiqiang Pan1, Chuan Zhang2, Wenjie Su1
1Xi'an Key Laboratory of Intelligent Sensing and Regulation of trans-Scale Life Information, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Neuroimage
|November 10, 2023
Summary
Individual differences in pain empathy are linked to brain activity. Delta brain waves in the frontal cortex correlate with empathy levels, while alpha waves connect frontal and parietal regions to pain sensitivity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Pain empathy, understanding others' pain, shows significant individual variation.
- Neural mechanisms underlying these differences and their link to pain perception remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate brain mechanisms behind individual differences in pain empathy.
- To explore the association between pain empathy and pain sensitivity.
Main Methods:
- Electroencephalography (EEG) recorded resting and task-state brain activity in 24 adults.
- Participants viewed painful and non-painful stimuli to elicit empathy.
- Individual pain sensitivity was assessed via direct current stimulation.
Main Results:
- Painful images modulated N2 (Fz) and Late Positive Potential (LPP) at P3/P4.
- Delta and alpha frequency bands in frontal and parietal areas were implicated in pain empathy regulation.
- Delta band power (Fz) correlated with individual pain empathy levels.
- Alpha band functional connectivity (Fz-P3) during painful stimuli correlated with pain sensitivity.
Conclusions:
- Distinct roles for delta and alpha EEG bands in pain empathy processing identified.
- Findings enhance understanding of neural underpinnings of individual differences in pain empathy and sensitivity.
