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Insula and somatosensory cortical myelination and iron markers underlie individual differences in empathy

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Insula and somatosensory cortical myelination and iron markers underlie individual differences in empathy. / Allen, Micah; Frank, Darya; Glen, James C. et al.
In: Scientific Reports, Vol. 7, 43316, 03.03.2017.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Allen, M, Frank, D, Glen, JC, Fardo, F, Callaghan, MF & Rees, G 2017, 'Insula and somatosensory cortical myelination and iron markers underlie individual differences in empathy', Scientific Reports, vol. 7, 43316. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep43316

APA

Allen, M., Frank, D., Glen, J. C., Fardo, F., Callaghan, M. F., & Rees, G. (2017). Insula and somatosensory cortical myelination and iron markers underlie individual differences in empathy. Scientific Reports, 7, Article 43316. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep43316

CBE

Allen M, Frank D, Glen JC, Fardo F, Callaghan MF, Rees G. 2017. Insula and somatosensory cortical myelination and iron markers underlie individual differences in empathy. Scientific Reports. 7:Article 43316. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep43316

MLA

Allen, Micah et al. "Insula and somatosensory cortical myelination and iron markers underlie individual differences in empathy". Scientific Reports. 2017. 7. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep43316

Vancouver

Allen M, Frank D, Glen JC, Fardo F, Callaghan MF, Rees G. Insula and somatosensory cortical myelination and iron markers underlie individual differences in empathy. Scientific Reports. 2017 Mar 3;7:43316. doi: 10.1038/srep43316

Author

Allen, Micah ; Frank, Darya ; Glen, James C. et al. / Insula and somatosensory cortical myelination and iron markers underlie individual differences in empathy. In: Scientific Reports. 2017 ; Vol. 7.

Bibtex

@article{e35214372c334e49baad74537b2841d8,
title = "Insula and somatosensory cortical myelination and iron markers underlie individual differences in empathy",
abstract = "Empathy is a key component of our ability to engage and interact with others. In recent years, the neural mechanisms underlying affective and cognitive empathy have garnered intense interest. This work demonstrates that empathy for others depends upon a distributed network of regions such as the insula, parietal cortex, and somatosensory areas, which are also activated when we ourselves experience an empathized-with emotion (e.g., pain). Individuals vary markedly in their ability to empathize with others, which predicts the tendency to help others and relates to individual differences in the neuroanatomy of these areas. Here, we use a newly developed, high-resolution (800 mu m isotropic), quantitative MRI technique to better elucidate the neuroanatomical underpinnings of individual differences in empathy. Our findings extend previous studies of the neuroanatomical correlates of cognitive and affective empathy. In particular, individual differences in cognitive empathy were associated with markers of myeloarchitectural integrity of the insular cortex, while affective empathy was predicted by a marker of iron content in second somatosensory cortex. These results indicate potential novel biomarkers of trait empathy, suggesting that microstructural features of an empathy and body-related network are crucial for understanding the mental and emotional states of others.",
keywords = "MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS BRAIN, VARYING FLIP ANGLES, SPINAL-CORD-INJURY, MAGNETIZATION-TRANSFER, IN-VIVO, INTERINDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES, EMOTIONAL EMPATHY, NEURAL RESPONSES, STRUCTURAL BASIS, SPOILED FLASH",
author = "Micah Allen and Darya Frank and Glen, {James C.} and Francesca Fardo and Callaghan, {Martina F.} and Geraint Rees",
year = "2017",
month = mar,
day = "3",
doi = "10.1038/srep43316",
language = "English",
volume = "7",
journal = "Scientific Reports",
issn = "2045-2322",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Insula and somatosensory cortical myelination and iron markers underlie individual differences in empathy

AU - Allen, Micah

AU - Frank, Darya

AU - Glen, James C.

AU - Fardo, Francesca

AU - Callaghan, Martina F.

AU - Rees, Geraint

PY - 2017/3/3

Y1 - 2017/3/3

N2 - Empathy is a key component of our ability to engage and interact with others. In recent years, the neural mechanisms underlying affective and cognitive empathy have garnered intense interest. This work demonstrates that empathy for others depends upon a distributed network of regions such as the insula, parietal cortex, and somatosensory areas, which are also activated when we ourselves experience an empathized-with emotion (e.g., pain). Individuals vary markedly in their ability to empathize with others, which predicts the tendency to help others and relates to individual differences in the neuroanatomy of these areas. Here, we use a newly developed, high-resolution (800 mu m isotropic), quantitative MRI technique to better elucidate the neuroanatomical underpinnings of individual differences in empathy. Our findings extend previous studies of the neuroanatomical correlates of cognitive and affective empathy. In particular, individual differences in cognitive empathy were associated with markers of myeloarchitectural integrity of the insular cortex, while affective empathy was predicted by a marker of iron content in second somatosensory cortex. These results indicate potential novel biomarkers of trait empathy, suggesting that microstructural features of an empathy and body-related network are crucial for understanding the mental and emotional states of others.

AB - Empathy is a key component of our ability to engage and interact with others. In recent years, the neural mechanisms underlying affective and cognitive empathy have garnered intense interest. This work demonstrates that empathy for others depends upon a distributed network of regions such as the insula, parietal cortex, and somatosensory areas, which are also activated when we ourselves experience an empathized-with emotion (e.g., pain). Individuals vary markedly in their ability to empathize with others, which predicts the tendency to help others and relates to individual differences in the neuroanatomy of these areas. Here, we use a newly developed, high-resolution (800 mu m isotropic), quantitative MRI technique to better elucidate the neuroanatomical underpinnings of individual differences in empathy. Our findings extend previous studies of the neuroanatomical correlates of cognitive and affective empathy. In particular, individual differences in cognitive empathy were associated with markers of myeloarchitectural integrity of the insular cortex, while affective empathy was predicted by a marker of iron content in second somatosensory cortex. These results indicate potential novel biomarkers of trait empathy, suggesting that microstructural features of an empathy and body-related network are crucial for understanding the mental and emotional states of others.

KW - MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS BRAIN

KW - VARYING FLIP ANGLES

KW - SPINAL-CORD-INJURY

KW - MAGNETIZATION-TRANSFER

KW - IN-VIVO

KW - INTERINDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

KW - EMOTIONAL EMPATHY

KW - NEURAL RESPONSES

KW - STRUCTURAL BASIS

KW - SPOILED FLASH

U2 - 10.1038/srep43316

DO - 10.1038/srep43316

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 28256532

VL - 7

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

SN - 2045-2322

M1 - 43316

ER -