title: Alterations in event-related potential responses to empathy for pain in schizophrenia.
abstract: Lack of empathy is a critical factor impacting on social functioning and quality of life in schizophrenia. There is, however, a paucity of research into the underlying neurophysiological correlates of empathy deficits in this disorder. Accordingly, we sought: (1) to identify whether dysfunctional empathic abilities in schizophrenia are related to alterations in early or late brain processes, and (2) to explore the potential relationship between brain activity and mood, self-reported empathy and symptom severity. Eighteen patients with schizophrenia and 21 healthy matched controls performed an empathy-for-pain paradigm where photographs of hands in neutral or painful situations were shown while we recorded their electroencephalography (EEG), and we examined mood, empathic concern for others and symptom severity. Significant group differences between patients and controls emerged in early (50-150ms after stimulus onset) and late (after 300ms) timeframes. Moreover, brain activity was related with unpleasantness ratings in all participants, with self-reported empathic concern only in controls and with negative mood and personal distress only in patients. Differences in social behavior in schizophrenia may be explained by early as well as late differences, affecting mostly the early frontocentral ERPs, i.e. those suggested to correspond to the emotional sharing component of empathy.
authors.affiliation: LWL University Hospital Bochum, Division of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventive Medicine, Ruhr-University, 44791 Bochum, NRW, Germany; International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany. Electronic address: cgliencres@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Liencres
authors.affiliation: LWL University Hospital Bochum, Division of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventive Medicine, Ruhr-University, 44791 Bochum, NRW, Germany; Maryland Psychiatric Research Centre, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA.
authors.forename: Elliot C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: LWL University Hospital Bochum, Division of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventive Medicine, Ruhr-University, 44791 Bochum, NRW, Germany; Department of Psychology, Uskudar University, 34662 İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cumhur
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tas
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Breidenstein
authors.affiliation: LWL University Hospital Bochum, Division of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventive Medicine, Ruhr-University, 44791 Bochum, NRW, Germany; International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brüne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004645:Empathy / Q000502:physiology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012938:Social Perception
keywords: EEG; Empathy; Event-related potential; Mood; Social cognition; Symptom severity