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Remember as we empathize. Do brain mechanisms engaged in autobiographical memory retrieval causally affect empathy awareness? A combined TMS and EEG registered report
Author(s) -
Meconi Federica,
Hodsoll John,
Smullen Daniel,
Degano Giulio,
Di Lello Nicolò,
Miniussi Carlo,
Avenanti Alessio,
Mevorach Carmel
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.24906
Subject(s) - empathy , psychology , neuroimaging , neuropsychology , transcranial magnetic stimulation , cognitive psychology , electroencephalography , affect (linguistics) , autobiographical memory , brain activity and meditation , neuroscience , cognition , social psychology , recall , stimulation , communication
Social interactions are partly driven by our ability to empathize—the capacity to share and understand others’ inner states. While a growing body of evidence suggests a link between past experiences and empathy, to what degree empathy is dependent on our own previous experiences (autobiographical memories, AMs) is still unclear. Whereas neuroimaging studies have shown wide overlapping brain networks underpinning AM and empathic processes, studies on clinical populations with memory loss have not always shown empathy is impaired. The current transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroencephalography study will seek to shed light on this neuropsychological puzzle by testing whether self‐perceived empathy is causally linked to AM retrieval. Cortical activity, together with self‐rating of empathy, will be recorded for scenarios that echo personal experiences while a brain region critical for AM retrieval will be transiently inhibited using TMS before task performance.