Is there a core neural network in empathy? an fMRI based quantitative meta-analysis
Abstract
Whilst recent neuroimaging studies have identified a series of different brain regions as being involved in empathy, it remains unclear concerning the activation consistence of these brain regions and their specific functional roles. Using MKDA, a whole-brain based quantitative meta-analysis of recent fMRI studies of empathy was performed. This analysis identified the dACC-aMCC-SMA and bilateral anterior insula as being consistently activated in empathy. Hypothesizing that what are here termed affective-perceptual and cognitive-evaluative forms of empathy might be characterized by different activity patterns, the neural activations in these forms of empathy were compared. The dorsal aMCC was demonstrated to be recruited more frequently in the cognitive-evaluative form of empathy, whilst the right anterior insula was found to be involved in the affective-perceptual form of empathy only. The left anterior insula was active in both forms of empathy. It was concluded that the dACC-aMCC-SMA and bilateral insula can be considered as forming a core network in empathy, and that cognitive-evaluative and affective-perceptual empathy can be distinguished at the level of regional activation.
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The literature currently lacks a specific meta-analytic investigation and comprehensive systematic review on the relationship between empathy and the MNS.
“the literature currently lacks a specific meta-analytic investigation and comprehensive systematic review on the relationship between empathy and the MNS.”
From Is the Putative Mirror Neuron System Associated with Empathy? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2021) · cites this paper as Fan, Duncan, de Greck, & Northoff, 2011
Whole-brain analyses of the contrast of painful vs. neutral expressions revealed activations in both the empathy network (anterior cingulate and bilateral AI/IFG) and the theory-of-mind network (mPFC, left TPJ, right TP).
“Similar to previous findings (Fan et al., 2011; Lamm et al., 2011; Shamay-Tsoory, 2011), whole-brain analyses of the contrast of painful vs. neutral expressions revealed activations in both the empathy network, including the anterior cingulate and bilateral AI/inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), and the theory-of-mind network, including the mPFC, left TPJ, and right temporal pole (TP) (all activations”
From A neurobiological association of revenge propensity during intergroup conflict (2020) · cites this paper as Fan et al., 2011
Interoception-related meta-representation of emotion has been suggested to underlie the concomitant involvement of the aMCC/SMA and AI/IFG in neuroimaging studies on empathy as reflecting affective sharing.
“Interoception-related meta-representation of emotion has thus been suggested to underlie the concomitant involvement of the aMCC/SMA and AI/IFG in neuroimaging studies on empathy as reflecting affective sharing (Singer and Lamm 2009; Fan et al. 2011).”
From Parsing the neural correlates of moral cognition: ALE meta-analysis on morality, theory of mind, and empathy (2012) · cites this paper as Fan et al. 2011
Empathy for pain crucially involves anterior insula and anterior midcingulate cortex.
“Two recent cross-sectional meta-analyses suggest that empathy for pain crucially involves anterior insula (AI) and anterior midcingulate cortex (aMCC) (Fan et al., 2011;Lamm et al., 2011).”
From Differential pattern of functional brain plasticity after compassion and empathy training (2014) · cites this paper as Fan et al., 2011
These results align with and extend previous cross-sectional meta-analytic findings on a crucial role of insula and aMCC in empathy for pain.
“These results align with and extend previous crosssectional meta-analytic findings on a crucial role of insula and aMCC in empathy for pain (Fan et al., 2011;Lamm et al., 2011)”
From Differential pattern of functional brain plasticity after compassion and empathy training (2014) · cites this paper as Fan et al., 2011
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“In keeping with previous findings on the neural substrates of empathy, we expected that empathy for HE videos would be accompanied by activations in the AI and the aMCC, which are the core regions of the empathy for pain network (Fan et al. 2011; Lamm et al. 2011).”
BackgroundResultInfluentialBarrett, L. F., & Satpute, A. B. (2013) · Current Opinion in Neurobiology · doi:10.1016/j.conb.2012.12.012 · Cited by 653 · see citing works
Schurz, M., Raduà, J., Tholen, M. G., Maliske, L., Margulies, D. S., Mars, R. B., Sallet, J., & Kanske, P. (2020) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/bul0000303 · Cited by 642 · see citing works
“…instructed versus uninstructed tasks.16 Note that several other (and partially related) categorizations have been discussed elsewhere but go beyond the scope of our exemplary illustration (see, e.g., Fan et al., 2011; Mar, 2011; Molenberghs et al., 2016; Timmers et al., 2018; Van Overwalle, 2009).”
BackgroundUnderstanding the minds of others: A neuroimaging meta-analysis.
Molenberghs, P., Johnson, H., Henry, J., & Mattingley, J. (2016) · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.03.020 · Cited by 486 · see citing works
Clinical assessment of social cognitive function in neurological disorders
Henry, J. D., von Hippel, W., Molenberghs, P., Lee, T., & Sachdev, P. S. (2016) · Nature Reviews Neurology · doi:10.1038/nrneurol.2015.229 · Cited by 488 · see citing works
Desbordes, G., Negi, L. T., Pace, T. W. W., Wallace, B. A., Raison, C. L., & Schwartz, E. L. (2012) · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnhum.2012.00292 · Cited by 458 · see citing works
“While the amygdala is usually not considered part of the core brain network for empathy (Fan et al., 2011; Shamay-Tsoory, 2011), several neuroimaging studies of empathy and compassion have implicated the amygdala.”
BackgroundConnecting minds and sharing emotions through mimicry: A neurocognitive model of emotional contagion
Prochazkova, E., & Kret, M. E. (2017) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.05.013 · Cited by 433 · see citing works
“…neural correlates of face perception (Haxby et al., 2002) and empathy (Carr et al., 2003; Decety et al., 2016; Decety and Lamm, 2007; Decety, 2011; Fan et al., 2011; Mutschler et al., 2013; Singer and Lamm, 2009; Shamay-Tsoory et al., 2009; Shamay-Tsoory, 2011), others have described the…”
The adaptive human parental brain: implications for children's social development
Feldman, R. (2015) · Trends in Neurosciences · doi:10.1016/j.tins.2015.04.004 · Cited by 419 · see citing works
Simmons, W. K., Avery, J. A., Barcalow, J. C., Bodurka, J., Drevets, W. C., & Bellgowan, P. (2013) · Human Brain Mapping · doi:10.1002/hbm.22113 · Cited by 401 · see citing works
“2002], empathy [Fan et al., 2011], drug craving [Naqvi”
BackgroundKanske, P., Böckler, A., Trautwein, F.-M., & Singer, T. (2015) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.07.082 · Cited by 421 · see citing works
“Meta-analyses show that the anterior insula (AI) and middle anterior cingulate cortex (mACC) are core regions underlying empathic responding when witnessing others' suffering and when suffering oneself (Fan et al., 2011; Lamm et al., 2011).”
Eisenberg, N., Spinrad, T. L., & Knafo‐Noam, A. (2015) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9781118963418.childpsy315 · Cited by 429 · see citing works
Social Cognitive Neuroscience of Empathy: Concepts, Circuits, and Genes
Walter, H. (2012) · Emotion Review · doi:10.1177/1754073911421379 · Cited by 395 · see citing works
From Brain Maps to Cognitive Ontologies: Informatics and the Search for Mental Structure
Poldrack, R. A., & Yarkoni, T. (2015) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-122414-033729 · Cited by 358 · see citing works
“…et al. 2010), and numerous other processes—and this variety is recapitulated in an equally broad range of meta-analyses that also report anterior insula activation, such as studies of empathy (Fan et al. 2011), subsequent memory (Kim 2011), and working memory (Owen et al. 2005), among others.”
BackgroundEmpathic concern drives costly altruism
FeldmanHall, O., Dalgleish, T., Evans, D., & Mobbs, D. (2014) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.10.043 · Cited by 351 · see citing works
“1B, Table 1], supporting the well-documented evidence that these regions engage when observing another in pain (Singer et al., 2004; Gu et al., 2010; Fan et al., 2011) as well as during physical pain (Eisenberger and Lieberman, 2004; Atlas et al.”
Cox, C. L., Uddin, L. Q., Di Martino, A., Castellanos, F. X., Milham, M. P., & Kelly, C. (2012) · Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience · doi:10.1093/scan/nsr051 · Cited by 333 · see citing works
“…(Carr et al., 2003; Zaki et al., 2009; Decety, 2010; Fan et al., 2011) often due to a lack of agreement regarding the terminology and cognitive constructs employed [e.g. empathy for pain (Decety, 2010), Theory of Mind (ToM) (Saxe, 2006), automatic vs controlled empathy (Fan et al., 2011)].”
BackgroundInfluentialAcevedo, B. P., Aron, E. N., Aron, A. P., Sangster, M.-D. D., Collins, N. L., & Brown, L. L. (2014) · Brain and Behavior · doi:10.1002/brb3.242 · Cited by 329 · see citing works
Pain assessment in elderly adults with dementia
Hadjistavropoulos, T., Herr, K., Prkachin, K. M., Craig, K. D., Gibson, S. J., Lukas, A., & Smith, J. H. (2014) · The Lancet Neurology · doi:10.1016/s1474-4422(14)70103-6 · Cited by 319 · see citing works
The neural components of empathy: Predicting daily prosocial behavior
Morelli, S. A., Rameson, L. T., & Lieberman, M. D. (2012) · Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience · doi:10.1093/scan/nss088 · Cited by 316 · see citing works
“At first glance, meta-analyses appear to confirm the view that dACC and AI support core aspects of empathy for the emotions of others (Fan et al., 2011; Lamm et al., 2011).”
Tusche, A., Böckler, A., Kanske, P., Trautwein, F.-M., & Singer, T. (2016) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.3392-15.2016 · Cited by 309 · see citing works
“…others’ suffering has been suggested to involve the anterior insula (AI) and mid cingulate cortex (mCC) (Singer and Lamm, 2009; Kurth et al., 2010; Fan et al., 2011), whereas perspective taking recruits the temporoparietal junction (TPJ), posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), temporal…”
BackgroundInfluentialHarshaw, C. (2015) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/a0038101 · Cited by 302 · see citing works
“…(e.g., Wittmann, van Wassenhove, Craig, & Paulus, 2010), music appreciation (e.g., Blood & Zatorre, 2001), emotional experience (e.g., Zaki, Davis, & Ochsner, 2012), and social cognition (e.g., Y. Fan et al., 2011; Lamm & Singer, 2010; Singer, Critchley, & Preuschoff, 2009; Wicker et al., 2003).”
BackgroundNeuronal correlates of altered empathy and social cognition in borderline personality disorder
Dziobek, I., Preißler, S., Grozdanovic, Z., Heuser, I., Heekeren, H. R., & Roepke, S. (2011) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.05.005 · Cited by 300 · see citing works
“More specifically, we expected reduced functioning of the anterior insular cortex, which has been proven a key mediator of the otheroriented sharing of the emotions (Fan et al., 2011; Lamm et al., 2011; Singer et al., 2009).”
Neural substrates of the self‐memory system: New insights from a meta‐analysis
Martinelli, P., Sperduti, M., & Piolino, P. (2013) · Human Brain Mapping · doi:10.1002/hbm.22008 · Cited by 281 · see citing works
“This is in line with the findings on the neural correlates of empathy showing a common network for personal feeling and seeing emotions in others (for a recent meta-analysis, see Fan et al. [2011]).”
ResultThe maternal brain and its plasticity in humans
Kim, P., Strathearn, L., & Swain, J. E. (2016) · Hormones and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.08.001 · Cited by 278 · see citing works
“faces, images of others in pain or crying sounds (Fan et al., 2011), has highlighted the functional importance of medial PFC, precuneus/poste-”
Azevedo, R. T., Macaluso, E., Avenanti, A., Santangelo, V., Cazzato, V., & Aglioti, S. M. (2012) · Human Brain Mapping · doi:10.1002/hbm.22133 · Cited by 280 · see citing works
“It is worth noting that, the cingulate cortex is believed to be mostly related with the motivational and volitional aspects of pain processing, such as preparation and regulation of associated motor and autonomic responses (Craig, 2002; Critchley, 2005; Fan et al., 2011; Medford et al., 2010; Vogt et al., 2003).”
BackgroundValk, S. L., Bernhardt, B. C., Trautwein, F.-M., Böckler, A., Kanske, P., Guizard, N., Collins, D. L., & Singer, T. (2017) · Science Advances · doi:10.1126/sciadv.1700489 · Cited by 264 · see citing works
“For socio-affective processing, studies have consistently identified a network, including limbic/paralimbic cortical areas, such as the anterior insula (AI) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) for empathy (8, 9, 20, 21), together with lateral areas involved in emotion regulation, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal co…”
BackgroundNorthoff, G., Wainio‐Theberge, S., & Evers, K. (2019) · Physics of Life Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.plrev.2019.05.002 · Cited by 262 · see citing works
Self-citationGonzalez-Liencres, C., Shamay‐Tsoory, S., & Brüne, M. (2013) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.05.001 · Cited by 264 · see citing works
The plasticity of well-being: A training-based framework for the cultivation of human flourishing
Dahl, C. J., Wilson‐Mendenhall, C. D., & Davidson, R. J. (2020) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.2014859117 · Cited by 261 · see citing works
Adolfi, F., Couto, B., Richter, F., Decety, J., Lopez, J., Sigman, M., Manes, F., & Ibáñez, A. (2017) · Cortex · doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2016.12.019 · Cited by 238 · see citing works
“In a nutshell, the MKDA is a ‘random effects’ approach (Fan et al., 2011; Kober & Wager, 2010; Wager et al., 2009), given that: a) it nests peak activation coordinates within contrasts, and contrasts within studies; b) it models the variability across peaks within a contrast, rather than just…”
The role of shared neural activations, mirror neurons, and morality in empathy – A critical comment
Lamm, C., & Majdandžić, J. (2015) · Neuroscience Research · doi:10.1016/j.neures.2014.10.008 · Cited by 252 · see citing works
“This finding has since been confirmed by numerous subsequent studies, as documented by image-based and coordinate-based meta-analyses which have quantitatively integrated and summarized the available data (Fan et al., 2011; Lamm et al., 2011).”
The anatomy of empathy: Vicarious experience and disorders of social cognition
Lockwood, P. L. (2016) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2016.05.048 · Cited by 245 · see citing works
Báez, S., Flichtentrei, D., Prats, M., Mastandueno, R., García, A. M., Cetkovich, M., & Ibáñez, A. M. (2017) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0179336 · Cited by 246 · see citing works
Cultural differences in human brain activity: A quantitative meta-analysis
Han, S., & Ma, Y. (2014) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.05.062 · Cited by 239 · see citing works
“, 2007), one's own emotional responses and empathy for others' emotional states (e.g., ACC and insula, Singer et al., 2004; Jackson et al., 2005; Saarela et al., 2007; Gu and Han, 2007; Han et al., 2009; Gu et al., 2010; Fan et al., 2011; Lamm et al., 2011).”
“I feel your pain”: A critical review of organizational research on empathy
Clark, M. A., Robertson, M. M., & Young, S. F. (2018) · Journal of Organizational Behavior · doi:10.1002/job.2348 · Cited by 251 · see citing works
Hippocampal—diencephalic—cingulate networks for memory and emotion: an anatomical guide
Bubb, E. J., Kinnavane, L., & Aggleton, J. P. (2017) · Brain and Neuroscience Advances · doi:10.1177/2398212817723443 · Cited by 234 · see citing works
“At the same time, the anterior cingulate region and its connections remain strongly implicated in emotional processes (Dalgleish, 2004; Etkin et al., 2011, 2015; Fan et al., 2011).”
Somatic and vicarious pain are represented by dissociable multivariate brain patterns
Krishnan, A., Woo, C., Chang, L. J., Ruzic, L. L., Gu, X., López‐Solà, M., Jackson, P. L., Pujol, J., Fan, J., & Wager, T. D. (2016) · eLife · doi:10.7554/elife.15166 · Cited by 233 · see citing works
“…dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and anterior insular (aINS) cortices when both experiencing pain and observing pain in others ( Corradi-Dell’Acqua et al., 2011 ; 2016 ; Fan et al., 2011 ; Jackson et al., 2005 ; 2006a ; Lamm et al., 2007 ; 2011 ; Ogino et al., 2007 ; Singer et al., 2004 ).”
BackgroundThe neural and hormonal bases of human parentalcare
Rilling, J. K. (2013) · Neuropsychologia · doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2012.12.017 · Cited by 230 · see citing works
Empathic Care and Distress: Predictive Brain Markers and Dissociable Brain Systems
Ashar, Y. K., Andrews‐Hanna, J. R., Dimidjian, S., & Wager, T. D. (2017) · Neuron · doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2017.05.014 · Cited by 231 · see citing works
“For example, we did not find the aMCC or the aIns to be central to empathic care or distress, in distinction from prior work (CorradiDell’Acqua et al., 2016; Fan et al., 2011; Klimecki et al., 2014; Lamm et al., 2011; Singer and Klimecki, 2014).”
Heyes, C. M. (2018) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.11.001 · Cited by 220 · see citing works
Edele, A., Dziobek, I., & Keller, M. (2013) · Learning and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2012.12.020 · Cited by 214 · see citing works
Li, S., Hu, N., Zhang, W., Bo, T., Dai, J., Gong, Y., Tan, Y., Cai, D., & Lui, S. (2019) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00482 · Cited by 208 · see citing works
Is There a ‘Social’ Brain? Implementations and Algorithms
Lockwood, P. L., Apps, M. A. J., & Chang, S. W. C. (2020) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2020.06.011 · Cited by 202 · see citing works
“Examples include pain to self and another [8,9], monetary and social reward [10,11], and one’s own or another’s action goals [12,13].”
BackgroundThe neurobiology of mammalian parenting and the biosocial context of human caregiving
Feldman, R. (2015) · Hormones and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.10.001 · Cited by 209 · see citing works
Paloyelis, Y., Doyle, O. M., Zelaya, F. O., Maltezos, S., Williams, S. C., Fotopoulou, A., & Howard, M. A. (2016) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.10.005 · Cited by 187 · see citing works
The Experience of Empathy in Everyday Life
Depow, G. J., Francis, Z. L., & Inzlicht, M. (2021) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/0956797621995202 · Cited by 211 · see citing works
Corradi‐Dell’Acqua, C., Tusche, A., Vuilleumier, P. O., & Singer, T. (2016) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/ncomms10904 · Cited by 192 · see citing works
Eres, R., Decety, J., Louis, W. R., & Molenberghs, P. (2015) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.05.038 · Cited by 172 · see citing works
“A regions of interest (ROI) approach was used based on coordinates provided by a recent meta-analysis (Fan et al., 2011; Table 1) which showed that the insula was most often associated with affective empathy (left insula; x = -42, y = 18, z = 0 and right insula; x = 38, y = 24, z = -2) and the…”
BackgroundMethodResultInfluentialLockwood, P. L., Sebastian, C. L., McCrory, E. J. P., Hyde, Z. H., Gu, X., Brito, S. A. D., & Viding, E. M. (2013) · Current Biology · doi:10.1016/j.cub.2013.04.018 · Cited by 188 · see citing works
“We also show a negative association between callous traits and responses in AI and ACC, regions related to unpleasant emotions generated in response to others’ pain [7, 8].”
InfluentialEngen, H. G., & Singer, T. (2012) · Current Opinion in Neurobiology · doi:10.1016/j.conb.2012.11.003 · Cited by 185 · see citing works
Neurocognitive Basis of Racial Ingroup Bias in Empathy
Han, S. (2018) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2018.02.013 · Cited by 182 · see citing works
“Consistent fMRI evidence has demonstrated increased neural responses to the physical pain of others in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), supplementary motor area (SMA), anterior insula (AI), second somatosensory cortex (SII), inferior parietal cortex, and amygdala [24,25].”
Computing the Social Brain Connectome Across Systems and States
Alcalá-López, D., Smallwood, J., Jefferies, E., Overwalle, F. V., Vogeley, K. T., Mars, R. B., Turetsky, B. I., Laird, A. R., Fox, P. T., Eickhoff, S. B., et al. (2017) · Cerebral Cortex · doi:10.1093/cercor/bhx121 · Cited by 177 · see citing works
“, empathy) and pain in social neuroscience (Lamm and Singer 2010; Fan et al. 2011; Bzdok et al. 2012b), and is today understood as an integrating link between large-scale brain systems (Kurth et al.”
BackgroundInfluentialResistance to treatment and change in anorexia nervosa: a clinical overview
Daga, G. A., Amianto, F., Delsedime, N., Bacco, C. D., & Fassino, S. (2013) · BMC Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/1471-244x-13-294 · Cited by 178 · see citing works
“the attunement of the therapeutic relationship turns so profound and intense to become embodied simulation [160], also through mirror neurons [161], therapist and patient can start to share not only the distress but also the ability to limit it.”
BackgroundHuman neuroimaging of oxytocin and vasopressin in social cognition
Zink, C. F., & Meyer-Lindenberg, A. (2012) · Hormones and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.01.016 · Cited by 176 · see citing works
“This oxytocininduced heightened insula reactivity in women may underlie an affective empathic reaction (Fan et al., 2011) during these social situations and may be a female- or paradigm-specific neural finding; oxytocin administration in men did not affect empathy-related insula activity while…”
BackgroundSocial Cognition through the Lens of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience
Arioli, M., Crespi, C., & Canessa, N. (2018) · BioMed Research International · doi:10.1155/2018/4283427 · Cited by 176 · see citing works
“Such representation includes its associated autonomic and somatic responses, neurally associated with the activation of the anterior insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex [122, 123], which provides support to the concept of a mirroring, sensorimotor, and nature of empathy [124].”
BackgroundGrassini, S., Revonsuo, A., Castellotti, S., Petrizzo, I., Benedetti, V., & Koivisto, M. (2019) · Journal of Environmental Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2019.01.007 · Cited by 174 · see citing works
The neural mechanisms and consequences of paternal caregiving
Feldman, R., Braun, K., & Champagne, F. A. (2019) · Nature reviews. Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/s41583-019-0124-6 · Cited by 168 · see citing works
The neuroscience of empathy and compassion in pro-social behavior
Stevens, F. L., & Taber, K. H. (2021) · Neuropsychologia · doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107925 · Cited by 178 · see citing works
Functional segregation of the human dorsomedial prefrontal cortex
Eickhoff, S. B., Laird, A. R., Fox, P. T., Bzdok, D., & Hensel, L. (2016) · Cerebral Cortex · doi:10.1093/cercor/bhu250 · Cited by 159 · see citing works
“…connected to the yellow cluster, have been conceptualized as a salience network (Seeley et al. 2007; Menon and Uddin 2010), potentially involved in interoceptive awareness (Critchley 2004), pain detection (Vogt 2005; Lamm et al. 2011), and empathy (Fan et al. 2011; Bzdok, Schilbach, et al. 2012).”
BackgroundThe neuroscience of in-group bias
Molenberghs, P. (2013) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.06.002 · Cited by 162 · see citing works
Timmers, I., Park, A. L., Fischer, M. D., Kronman, C. A., Heathcote, L. C., Hernandez, J. M., & Simons, L. E. (2018) · Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00289 · Cited by 154 · see citing works
“A previous meta-analysis revealed that while both types of paradigms elicit left AI, perceptual/affective empathy paradigms tend to elicit more right AI/IFG activation, while cognitive/evaluative paradigms tend to elicit more MCC activation (Fan et al., 2011).”
InfluentialImpaired emotional empathy and related social network deficits in cocaine users
Preller, K. H., Hulka, L. M., Vonmoos, M., Jenni, D., Baumgartner, M. R., Seifritz, E., Dziobek, I., & Quednow, B. B. (2013) · Addiction Biology · doi:10.1111/adb.12070 · Cited by 155 · see citing works
“These areas have been associated with social reward (Krach et al. 2010), emotional empathy (AbuAkel & Shamay-Tsoory 2011; Fan et al. 2012), cognitive empathy (CE) and theory of mind (ToM; Gallagher & Frith 2003; Blair 2005; Vollm et al. 2006; Fan et al. 2012).”
BackgroundBeyond the Language Given: The Neural Correlates of Inferring Speaker Meaning
Bašnáková, J., Weber, K., Petersson, K. M., Berkum, J. J. A. V., & Peter Hagoort, A. (2013) · Cerebral Cortex · doi:10.1093/cercor/bht112 · Cited by 153 · see citing works
“and tasks (Fan et al. 2011), which found a division of labor in the anterior insula based on laterality, with the left insula implicated in both affective–perceptual and cognitive–evaluative forms of empathy.”
InfluentialMattie Tops, A., Koole, S. L., IJzerman, H., & Buisman‐Pijlman, F. T. A. (2013) · Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.pbb.2013.07.015 · Cited by 146 · see citing works
“, in “cognitive empathy” that adopts a wider focus on context and reflects through the perspective of the other (Fan et al., 2011).”
Benarroch, E. E. (2019) · Neurology · doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000008525 · Cited by 146 · see citing works
Asada, M. (2014) · International Journal of Social Robotics · doi:10.1007/s12369-014-0253-z · Cited by 148 · see citing works
“, [13,27,47]), a draft of the neuroanatomical structure for the above computational model is”
BackgroundLochte, B. C., Guillory, S. A., Richard, C. A. H., & Kelley, W. M. (2018) · Bioimpacts · doi:10.15171/bi.2018.32 · Cited by 144 · see citing works
Jauniaux, J., Khatibi, A., Rainville, P., & Jackson, P. L. (2019) · Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience · doi:10.1093/scan/nsz055 · Cited by 143 · see citing works
Emotional contagion for pain is intact in autism spectrum disorders
Hadjikhani, N. K., Zürcher, N. R., Rogier, O., Hippolyte, L., Lemonnier, É., Ruest, T., Ward, N., Lassalle, A., Gillberg, N., Billstedt, E., et al. (2014) · Translational Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/tp.2013.113 · Cited by 142 · see citing works
Role of social cognition in post-traumatic stress disorder: a review and meta-analysis.
Stevens, J. S., & Jovanovic, T. (2019) · Genes, Brain and Behavior · doi:10.1111/gbb.12518 · Cited by 139 · see citing works
“Finally, more focused meta-analysis of responses to others' emotional states suggests that tasks involving passive viewing (dubbed “affective-perceptual empathy”) activate the bilateral insula, whereas tasks involving assessments of others' emotional states (cognitive empathy) activate the mid-cingulate cortex.(52) Wi…”
BackgroundEmpathy, gender, and prosocial behavior
Kamas, L., & Preston, A. (2021) · Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics · doi:10.1016/j.socec.2020.101654 · Cited by 139 · see citing works
Northoff, G. (2015) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2015.05.007 · Cited by 136 · see citing works
Self-citationIs the Putative Mirror Neuron System Associated with Empathy? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Bekkali, S., Youssef, G. J., Donaldson, P. H., Albein-Urios, N., Hyde, C., & Enticott, P. G. (2021) · Neuropsychology Review · doi:10.1007/s11065-020-09452-6 · Cited by 128 · see citing works
Thoma, P., Friedmann, C., & Suchan, B. (2013) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.01.024 · Cited by 134 · see citing works
The past, present and future of social neuroscience: A European perspective
Singer, T. (2012) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.01.109 · Cited by 133 · see citing works
“Interestingly, the results of this meta-analysis are in line with another meta-analysis performed by Fan et al. (2011) focusing on empathy studies conducted with fMRI in general not just restricted to pain.”
ResultFallon, N. B., Roberts, C. A., & Stančák, A. (2020) · Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience · doi:10.1093/scan/nsaa090 · Cited by 125 · see citing works
“Previous meta-analyses of empathic processing (Fan et al., 2011; Lamm et al., 2011; Timmers et al., 2018; Jauniaux et al., 2019) were also screened for additional articles although this did not lead to the inclusion of any further studies.”
BackgroundResultInfluentialThe neural development of empathy is sensitive to caregiving and early trauma
Lévy, J., Goldstein, A., & Feldman, R. (2019) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/s41467-019-09927-y · Cited by 120 · see citing works
Do I feel or do I know? Neuroimaging meta-analyses on the multiple facets of empathy
Kogler, L., Müller, V. I., Werminghausen, E., Eickhoff, S. B., & Derntl, B. (2020) · Cortex · doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2020.04.031 · Cited by 120 · see citing works
“In addition to previous meta-analyses (Fan et al., 2011; Timmers et al., 2018) we investigated the evaluative component of empathy in more detail.”
BackgroundResultInfluentialMorelli, S. A., & Lieberman, M. D. (2013) · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnhum.2013.00160 · Cited by 105 · see citing works
“These reliable activations in the dACC and AI have led some researchers to conclude that these regions are part of a core network in empathy (Fan et al., 2011).”
BackgroundImpairments of Interpersonal Functioning: Empathy and Intimacy in Borderline Personality Disorder
Jeung, H., & Herpertz, S. C. (2014) · Psychopathology · doi:10.1159/000357191 · Cited by 118 · see citing works
Development of artificial empathy
Asada, M. (2014) · Neuroscience Research · doi:10.1016/j.neures.2014.12.002 · Cited by 119 · see citing works
“Shamay-Tsoory et al. (2009) summarized the differences between these two separate systems (see Table 2) Fana et al. (2011) reported some differences in the recruited brain regions when subjects were unaware of being tested for empathy (which they called affective-perceptual), than when they were…”
BackgroundMichaels, T. M., Horan, W. P., Ginger, E. J., Martinovich, Z., Pinkham, A. E., & Smith, M. J. (2014) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2014.08.054 · Cited by 115 · see citing works
“Although empathy has historically been defined in many ways (Batson, 2009), recent social neuroscience research has made considerable progress in identifying key brain-based subcomponents of empathy (Fan et al., 2011) and understanding how empathy is impacted in various forms of psychopathology (Decety and Moriguchi,…”
ResultRütgen, M., Seidel, E., ansky, I. R., & Lamm, C. (2015) · Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.3936-14.2015 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
“…empathy for pain activates brain areas overlapping with those that are activated during the first-hand experience of pain (Lamm et al., 2011, for meta-analysis), and this finding also extends to affective experiences other than pain (Fan et al., 2011, for meta-analysis; see also Lamm et al., 2015).”
BackgroundFrom face to face: the contribution of facial mimicry to cognitive and emotional empathy
Drimalla, H., Landwehr, N., Heß, U., & Dziobek, I. (2019) · Cognition & Emotion · doi:10.1080/02699931.2019.1596068 · Cited by 114 · see citing works
Conduct Disorders and Empathy Development
Frick, P. J., & Kemp, E. C. (2020) · Annual Review of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-081219-105809 · Cited by 114 · see citing works
“For instance, Fan et al. (2011) conducted a meta-analysis across 40 studies and reported that the left anterior insula was consistently activated during both affective and cognitive empathy tasks.”
BackgroundMethodLuo, S., Ma, Y., Liu, Y., Li, B., Wang, C., Shi, Z., Li, X., Zhang, W., Rao, Y., & Han, S. (2015) · Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience · doi:10.1093/scan/nsv019 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
“These are consistent with the previous neuroimaging findings that suggest that the insula is engaged in an affective–perceptual form of empathy when participants observe others in pain and are unaware of the goal of the experiments (Fan et al., 2011).”
Bruneau, E., Pluta, A., & Saxe, R. R. (2011) · Neuropsychologia · doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2011.11.008 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
“Our study found one significant difference from the prior (Gu Han, 2007b) study of pain words: the cingulate cortex did not ignificantly distinguish between painful and non-painful events n Gu and Han (2007b), but did in the current results.”
InfluentialThe social-cognitive basis of personality disorders
Herpertz, S. C., & Bertsch, K. (2013) · Current Opinion in Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/yco.0000000000000026 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
Impaired integration in psychopathy: A unified theory of psychopathic dysfunction.
Hamilton, R. K. B., Racer, K. H., & Newman, J. P. (2015) · Psychological Review · doi:10.1037/a0039703 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
Zhou, F., Li, J., Zhao, W., Xu, L., Zheng, X., Fu, M., Yao, S., Kendrick, K. M., Wager, T. D., & Becker, B. (2020) · eLife · doi:10.7554/elife.56929 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
“…suggesting that the anterior cingulate cortex represents a core brain region for emotional empathy in general and pain empathy in particular (Fan et al., 2011; Jauniaux et al., 2019; Timmers et al., 2018), we found overlapping deactivations in the rostral and ventral anterior cingulate…”
BackgroundJankowski, K. F., & Takahashi, H. (2014) · Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences · doi:10.1111/pcn.12182 · Cited by 110 · see citing works
“Recent meta-analyses highlight the primary roles of anterior insula and adjacent frontooperculum (AI/FO; extending into inferior frontal gyrus [IFG]) and ACC (particularly dorsal and middle regions [dACC/aMCC]).(40,41) AI supports interoceptive awareness,(42) uncertainty monitoring,(1) and salienceprocessing,(43) whil…”
BackgroundWang, C., Wu, B., Liu, Y. T., Wu, X., & Han, S. (2015) · Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience · doi:10.1093/scan/nsv005 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
“The right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and left SMA are, respectively, associated with mental state inference (Cheon et al., 2011; Sheng et al., 2014) and motor motivation (Fan et al., 2011) during empathy.”
BackgroundMethodResultInfluential
- Authors
- Fan, Y., Duncan, N. W., de Greck, M., & Northoff, G.
- Affiliations
- University of Ottawa (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Northoff, Georg
- Venue
- Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-01
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 903-911
- ISSN
- 0149-7634 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2088335634
- Semantic Scholar
- a0ef877b20f7510e11539ab069df023ea45c7501
- Cited by
- 902
- References
- 89
- Citations by year
- 2026: 41 · 2025: 44 · 2024: 49 · 2023: 56 · 2022: 82 · 2021: 90 · 2020: 77 · 2019: 65 · 2018: 55 · 2017: 67 · 2016: 57 · 2015: 75 · 2014: 58 · 2013: 47 · 2012: 28
- FWCI
- 3.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Salus Foundation
- German Research Foundation
- SFB/DFG
- Hope of Depression Research Foundation (HDRF)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Empathy and Medical Education
- Keywords
- empathy, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, supplementary motor area, anterior insula
- MeSH terms
- Brain, Brain Mapping, Cognition, Empathy, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Neural Pathways, Neuropsychological Tests, Oxygen, Meta-Analysis as Topic
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