PMID- 23357112
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20130826
LR  - 20130313
IS  - 1873-7544 (Electronic)
IS  - 0306-4522 (Linking)
VI  - 236
DP  - 2013 Apr 16
TI  - High-frequency rTMS improves facial mimicry and detection responses in an 
      empathic emotional task.
PG  - 12-20
LID - S0306-4522(13)00019-5 [pii]
LID - 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.12.059 [doi]
AB  - In this study, we analysed facial expression detection and facial mimicry 
      behaviour in response to an emotional empathic task. We posited that a 
      "simulation mechanism" may be related to emotional face detection and that this 
      mechanism could be supported by prefrontal cortical structures. To evaluate our 
      hypothesis, we requested 16 subjects to emotionally empathise with facial stimuli 
      and applied high frequency repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to 
      the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) in order to induce an increased response to 
      the facial expressions of emotion. To determine whether emotional content affects 
      empathic behaviour, we also varied the stimulus valence (negative vs. positive 
      vs. neutral faces). We found that autonomic (facial zygomatic and corrugator 
      electromyography (EMG) subjective response) and detection (correct responses 
      (CRs); response times (RTs)) measures were modulated by the MPFC activity. 
      Specifically, when prefrontal structures were activated, subjects displayed an 
      increased performance in CRs and reduced RTs for face recognition, as well as 
      increased emotion-specific EMG responses in comparison to sham effects and 
      control site stimulation. In fact, the zygomatic muscle was more responsive in 
      cases of positive emotion (happiness), whereas corrugator activity was more 
      robust during periods of negative emotion (fear, anger, disgust). However, an 
      overall stronger effect was observed in response to negative, and potentially 
      aversive, faces when compared with responses to positive and neutral faces. 
      Finally, a direct correlation was found between the psychophysiological responses 
      and detection measures. In summary, these results suggest that a "simulation 
      mechanism" underlies emotion detection in an empathic situation that includes 
      both EMG and behavioural responses. This mechanism appears to be supported and 
      regulated by the MPFC area.
CI  - Copyright (c) 2013 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
FAU - Balconi, M
AU  - Balconi M
AD  - Laboratory of Cognitive Psychology, Department of Psychology, Catholic University 
      of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy. michela.balconi@unicatt.it
FAU - Canavesio, Y
AU  - Canavesio Y
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20130126
PL  - United States
TA  - Neuroscience
JT  - Neuroscience
JID - 7605074
SB  - IM
MH  - Adult
MH  - Electromyography
MH  - Emotions/*physiology
MH  - Empathy/*physiology
MH  - Facial Expression
MH  - Female
MH  - Humans
MH  - Male
MH  - Pattern Recognition, Visual/physiology
MH  - Prefrontal Cortex/*physiology
MH  - Reaction Time
MH  - *Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
MH  - Young Adult
EDAT- 2013/01/30 06:00
MHDA- 2013/08/27 06:00
CRDT- 2013/01/30 06:00
PHST- 2012/07/27 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2012/12/06 00:00 [revised]
PHST- 2012/12/14 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2013/01/30 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2013/01/30 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2013/08/27 06:00 [medline]
AID - S0306-4522(13)00019-5 [pii]
AID - 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.12.059 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Neuroscience. 2013 Apr 16;236:12-20. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.12.059. 
      Epub 2013 Jan 26.