Abstract
Impairment in empathy has been demonstrated in patients with schizophrenia and individuals with psychosis proneness. In the present study, we examined the neural correlates underlying theory of mind (ToM) and empathy and the relationships between these two social cognitive abilities with schizotypy. Fifty-six first-year college students (31 males, 25 females) between 17 and 21 years of age (M = 19.3, SD = 0.9) from a medical university in China participated. All participants undertook a comic strips functional imaging task that specifically examined both empathy and ToM. In addition, they completed two self-report scales: the Chapman Psychosis Proneness scale and the Interpersonal Responsivity Index (IRI). Results showed that both empathy and ToM conditions of the task were associated with brain activity in the middle temporal gyrus, the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), the precuneus and the posterior cingulate gyrus. In addition, we found positive correlations between negative schizotypy and brain activity in regions involved in social cognition, namely, the middle temporal gyrus, the TPJ, as well as the medial prefrontal gyrus. These findings highlight that different dimensions of schizotypy may show different associations with brain regions involved in social cognitive abilities. More importantly, the positive correlation between brain activity and anhedonia suggests the presence of compensatory mechanisms in high-risk populations.
Highlights
Theory of mind (ToM) refers to the ability to understand others’ mental state and infer their aims, intentions, and beliefs (Premack and Woodruff, 1978)
The results showed that brain regions like the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) and the temporal poles were commonly activated in both conditions, while affective empathy triggered the activation of brain regions involved in emotional processing, such as the cingulate and the amygdala
For the empathy condition relative to the physical causality condition, we found a similar increase in brain activations in the bilateral cuneus, the left precuneus and the right middle temporal gyrus
Summary
Theory of mind (ToM) refers to the ability to understand others’ mental state and infer their aims, intentions, and beliefs (Premack and Woodruff, 1978). Deficits in ToM performance in patients with schizophrenia have been well-established (Sprong et al, 2007; Bora et al, 2009). ToM impairment has been observed in first onset schizophrenia patients, unaffected relatives of schizophrenia patients, ultrahigh risk individuals (Bora and Pantelis, 2013), as well as individuals with psychometricallydefined schizotypy (Morrison et al, 2013). The mechanism underlying ToM deficit in schizophrenia spectrum disorders and its association with clinical symptoms are not fully understood. Studies that measure dimensions and extent of schizotypy has the advantage of avoiding the confounding effects of medication and illness duration in patients with schizophrenia. Recent studies suggest that schizotypy has multiple dimensions, such as positive schizotypy
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
