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Basolateral Amygdala Functional Connectivity in Alexithymia: Linking Interoceptive Sensibility and Cognitive Empathy
Xianrui Li1, Chuyao Peng1, Facai Qin1
1Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing 400715, China.
Neuroscience
|January 4, 2024
Summary
Higher interoceptive sensibility (IS) enhances cognitive empathy by reducing alexithymia. This connection is supported by specific amygdala functional connectivity patterns, particularly involving the right basolateral amygdala (BLA).
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Emotions are linked to bodily states, and understanding others' emotions requires self-awareness.
- The interplay between interoception, alexithymia, and empathy, along with their neural underpinnings, remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between interoceptive sensibility (IS), alexithymia, and empathy.
- To identify the neural mechanisms, specifically amygdala functional connectivity, underlying these relationships.
Main Methods:
- 297 college students completed questionnaires for IS, empathy, and alexithymia.
- Resting-state fMRI was used to analyze amygdala functional connectivity.
- Mediation analyses explored the roles of alexithymia and amygdala connectivity.
Main Results:
- Increased IS correlated with higher cognitive empathy, mediated by reduced alexithymia.
- Right basolateral amygdala (BLA)-left precuneus connectivity negatively predicted alexithymia.
- Right BLA-left precuneus connectivity mediated the effect of interoception on cognitive empathy.
Conclusions:
- Interoceptive sensibility, alexithymia, and empathy are interconnected.
- Right BLA-left precuneus functional connectivity is a potential neural substrate linking interoception and cognitive empathy.
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