The human mirror neuron system in a population with deficient self-awareness: an fMRI study in alexithymia.
The mirror neuron system (MNS) is considered crucial for human imitation and language learning and provides the basis for the development of empathy and mentalizing. Alexithymia (ALEX), which refers to deficiencies in the self-awareness of emotional states, has been reported to be associated with poor ability in various aspects of social cognition such as mentalizing, cognitive empathy, and perspective-taking. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we measured the hemodynamic signal to examine whether there are functional differences in the MNS activity between participants with ALEX (n = 16) and without ALEX (n = 13), in response to a classic MNS task (i.e., the observation of video clips depicting goal-directed hand movements). Both groups showed increased neural activity in the premotor and the parietal cortices during observation of hand actions. However, activation was greater for the ALEX group than the non-ALEX group. Furthermore, activation in the left premotor area was negatively correlated with perspective-taking ability as assessed with the interpersonal reactivity index. The signal in parietal cortices was negatively correlated with cognitive facets assessed by the stress coping inventory and positively correlated with the neuroticism scale from the NEO five factor personality scale. In addition, in the ALEX group, activation in the right superior parietal region showed a positive correlation with the severity of ALEX as measured by a structured interview. These results suggest that the stronger MNS-related neural response in individuals scoring high on ALEX is associated with their insufficient self-other differentiation.
Moriguchi
Yoshiya
Y
Department of Psychosomatic Research, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira City, Tokyo, Japan. ymorigu@ncnp.go.jp
Ohnishi
Takashi
T
Decety
Jean
J
Hirakata
Makiko
M
Maeda
Motonari
M
Matsuda
Hiroshi
H
Komaki
Gen
G
D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D001364:Awareness / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
Psychother Psychosom. 2002 Mar-Apr;71(2):104-11
11844947
Br J Psychiatry. 2008 Jan;192(1):32-8
18174507
J Psychosom Res. 2003 May;54(5):491-5
12726907
Cogn Neuropsychol. 1998 Sep 1;15(6-8):553-82
22448838
Novartis Found Symp. 2003;251:149-66; discussion 166-76, 281-97
14521192
J Autism Dev Disord. 2006 May;36(4):573-6
16755385
J Abnorm Psychol. 2008 Feb;117(1):171-81
18266495
Biopsychosoc Med. 2007 Nov 16;1:22
18021398
Eur J Neurosci. 2001 Jan;13(2):400-4
11168545
Psychosom Med. 1986 Jan-Feb;48(1-2):84-94
3945719
J Clin Psychiatry. 1998;59 Suppl 20:22-33;quiz 34-57
9881538
Neuroimage. 2002 Jan;15(1):265-72
11771994
Neuron. 2002 Dec 19;36(6):1211-20
12495633
Am J Psychiatry. 2004 Nov;161(11):2134-5
15514424
Psychopathology. 1995;28(5):263-72
8559950
Psychother Psychosom. 1988;50(2):81-7
3255981
Neuroimage. 2003 Apr;18(4):928-37
12725768
Neuropsychologia. 2005;43(2):260-7
15707910
Neuron. 2004 Apr 22;42(2):323-34
15091346
Cereb Cortex. 2002 Aug;12(8):847-55
12122033
Brain. 2002 Aug;125(Pt 8):1839-49
12135974
Nature. 1994 Oct 13;371(6498):600-2
7935791
Neuropsychologia. 2006;44(4):610-21
16140346
Compr Psychiatry. 2002 Nov-Dec;43(6):448-55
12439832
Brain Res Cogn Brain Res. 1996 Mar;3(2):131-41
8713554
J Clin Psychiatry. 1990 Jun;51(6):243-7
2189870
Biopsychosoc Med. 2007 Mar 06;1:7
17371586
Nat Neurosci. 2006 Jan;9(1):28-30
16327784
Neuroreport. 1996 Dec 20;8(1):197-201
9051780
Psychon Bull Rev. 2006 Apr;13(2):179-200
16892982
J Psychosom Res. 1994 Jan;38(1):33-40
8126688
Cereb Cortex. 2007 Jan;17(1):230-7
16495434
Neuroimage. 1999 Jul;10(1):1-5
10385576
Neurology. 2008 Jan 22;70(4):255-62
18077798
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2004 May;45(4):672-86
15056300
Neuropsychobiology. 2004;49(2):64-70
14981336
J Psychosom Res. 1994 Jan;38(1):23-32
8126686
Compr Psychiatry. 1994 Mar-Apr;35(2):124-8
8187475
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2003 Aug;12(4):178-89
14505068
J Psychosom Res. 2003 Sep;55(3):269-75
12932802
Neuroimage. 2007 May 1;35(4):1674-84
17395490
Compr Psychiatry. 1996 Jan-Feb;37(1):12-6
8770520
Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2005 Apr;59(2):127-34
15823156
Exp Brain Res. 1996 Sep;111(2):246-52
8891654
Hum Brain Mapp. 1998;6(4):270-82
9704265
Funct Neurol. 2004 Jan-Mar;19(1):9-17
15212111
Brain Res Cogn Brain Res. 2003 Feb;15(3):296-307
12527103
Behav Brain Sci. 2002 Feb;25(1):1-20; discussion 20-71
12625087
Psychol Rep. 2001 Aug;89(1):95-8
11729558
Neuroreport. 2004 Jun 28;15(9):1483-7
15194879
Psychother Psychosom. 1988;49(3-4):205-11
3237971
J Cogn Neurosci. 2005 Feb;17(2):273-81
15811239
Annu Rev Neurosci. 2004;27:169-92
15217330
Psychother Psychosom. 2004 Mar-Apr;73(2):68-77
14767148
J Cogn Neurosci. 2005 Feb;17(2):282-93
15811240
Neuron. 2006 May 18;50(4):531-4
16701204
Neuroimage. 2006 Apr 15;30(3):917-26
16380270
Brain Lang. 2004 May;89(2):370-6
15068920
Brain. 2003 Jun;126(Pt 6):1474-84
12764066
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990 Dec;87(24):9868-72
2124706
Neuropsychologia. 1971 Mar;9(1):97-113
5146491
J Clin Psychol. 1997 Feb;53(2):159-66
9029346
Curr Biol. 2006 Sep 19;16(18):1824-9
16979560
Science. 1999 Dec 24;286(5449):2526-8
10617472
Neuropsychologia. 2007 Apr 9;45(8):1859-68
17234218
Cereb Cortex. 2007 Aug;17(8):1979-86
17077160
Am J Psychiatry. 1990 Sep;147(9):1228-30
2386256
Int J Psychophysiol. 2007 Feb;63(2):214-20
16797757
Nat Rev Neurosci. 2006 Dec;7(12):942-51
17115076
J Psychosom Res. 2003 Sep;55(3):277-83
12932803
J Psychosom Res. 2005 Mar;58(3):299-306
15865955
Neuroimage. 2006 Sep;32(3):1472-82
16798016
Cereb Cortex. 2007 Sep;17(9):2223-34
17150987
Exp Brain Res. 1996 Nov;112(1):103-11
8951412
Neuroimage. 2001 May;13(5):775-85
11304074
J Trauma Stress. 2008 Apr;21(2):243-6
18404647
Brain. 1996 Apr;119 ( Pt 2):593-609
8800951
Percept Mot Skills. 1995 Aug;81(1):35-40
8532477
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000 Jan 18;97(2):913-8
10639179
J Clin Psychiatry. 1991 Jul;52(7):317-9
2071564
J Neurophysiol. 2003 Jan;89(1):460-71
12522194
Eur Psychiatry. 2005 May;20(3):291-8
15935431
Acta Neurol Scand. 2008 Jul;118(1):18-23
18162056
Psychosom Med. 2003 Mar-Apr;65(2):307-12
12651999
J Autism Dev Disord. 2004 Apr;34(2):229-35
15162941
Neuroimage. 2001 Sep;14(3):749-58
11506547