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Neural Patterns for Empathic Versus Subjective Fear in Classifying Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive
Yanmiao Yang1, Xiaodong Zhang1, Kun Fu2
1Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
Biological Psychiatry. Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging
|December 6, 2025
Summary
This study reveals distinct brain patterns for empathic and subjective fear processing. These neural signatures may help differentiate generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD).
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Computational Psychiatry
Background:
- Fear processing involves complex, dissociable neural pathways.
- Modality-specific fear processing (empathic vs. subjective) is poorly understood.
- The role of fear processing distinctions in GAD and MDD comorbidity is understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate neurofunctional models for empathic fear (FEFS) and subjective fear (SSFS).
- To investigate the utility of these models in distinguishing between GAD and MDD.
- To explore modality-specific fear processing in relation to GAD and MDD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized fMRI and multivariate pattern analysis to create FEFS and SSFS models.
- Validated models in independent cohorts with visual stimuli.
- Applied models to GAD and MDD cohorts during facial emotion and pain empathy tasks.
Main Results:
- Both FEFS and SSFS engaged distributed brain networks, including cortical and subcortical regions.
- Distinct functional profiles emerged: FEFS linked to execution, SSFS to emotion processing.
- FEFS, more than SSFS, differentiated GAD and MDD in fearful expression and pain empathy tasks.
Conclusions:
- Demonstrated modality-specific processing of subjective and empathic fear.
- Identified distinct empathy-related neural signatures.
- These signatures show potential as biomarkers for differentiating GAD and MDD, offering neurobiological insights.
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