Network functional connectivity underlying dissociable cognitive and affective components of empathy in adolescence. (18th June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Winters, Drew E.; Pruitt, Patrick J.; Fukui, Sadaaki; Cyders, Melissa A.; Pierce, Barbara J.; Lay, Kathy; Damoiseaux, Jessica S.
• Is Part Of: Neuropsychologia. Volume 156(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-06-18
• Subjects: Adolescence -- Cognitive empathy -- Affective empathy -- Functional connectivity; Neuropsychology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Neuropsychologie -- Périodiques; Neuropsychology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107832
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-3932

Abstract

Abstract: Empathy, the capacity to understand and share others' emotions, can occur through cognitive and affective components. These components are different conceptually, behaviorally, and in the brain. Neuroimaging task-based research in adolescents and adults document that cognitive empathy associates with the default mode and frontoparietal networks, whereas regions of the salience network underlie affective empathy. However, cognitive empathy is slower to mature than affective empathy and the extant literature reveals considerable developmental differences between adolescent and adult brains within and between these three networks. We extend previous work by examining empathy's association with functional connectivity within and between these networks in adolescents. Participants (n = 84, aged 13–17; 46.4% female) underwent resting state fMRI and completed self-report measures (Interpersonal Reactivity Index) for empathy as part of a larger Nathan-Kline Institute study. Regression analyses revealed adolescents reporting higher cognitive empathy had higher within DMN connectivity. Post hoc analysis revealed cognitive empathy's association within DMN connectivity is independent of affective empathy or empathy in general; and this association is driven by positive pairwise connections between the bilateral angular gyri and medial prefrontal cortex. These results suggest introspective cognitive processes related to the DMN are specifically important for cognitive empathy in adolescence. Highlights: Greater cognitive empathy associates with stronger default mode network connectivity. Angular gyri and medial prefrontal pairwise connections underlie cognitive empathy. Cognitive empathy and default mode positively relate independent of affective empathy. Affective empathy did not significantly associate with salience network connectivity. Our findings may suggest introspective cognition is important for cognitive empathy.