Neurophysiological and behavioural markers of compassion

Jeffrey J Kim,James R Doty,Ross Cunnington,James N Kirby,Paul Gilbert,Stacey L Parker

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-63846-3

Jeffrey J Kim, James R Doty + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-63846-3

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Abstract

The scientific study of compassion is burgeoning, however the putative neurophysiological markers of programs which actively train distress tolerance, such as Compassionate Mind Training (CMT), are less well known. Herein we offer an integrative, multi-method approach which investigated CMT at neural, physiological, self-report, and behavioural levels. Specifically, this study first assessed participants’ neural responses when confronted with disappointments (e.g., rejection, failure) using two fundamental self-regulatory styles, self-criticism and self-reassurance. Second, participant’s heart-rate variability (HRV) – a marker of parasympathetic nervous system response – was assessed during compassion training, pre- and post- a two-week self-directed engagement period. We identified neural networks associated with threat are reduced when practicing compassion, and heightened when being self-critical. In addition, cultivating compassion was associated with increased parasympathetic response as measured by an increase in HRV, versus the resting-state. Critically, cultivating compassion was able to shift a subset of clinically-at risk participants to one of increased parasympathetic response. Further, those who began the trial with lower resting HRV also engaged more in the intervention, possibly as they derived more benefits, both self-report and physiologically, from engagement in compassion.

Highlights

The scientific study of compassion is burgeoning, the putative neurophysiological markers of programs which actively train distress tolerance, such as Compassionate Mind Training (CMT), are less well known
We offer an alternate possibility – namely the role of pathogenic self-criticism within modern society – which has increased the number of individuals with mental health issues, and blunted the impact of available treatments on mental health problems
We conducted an region of interest (ROI) approach to examine differences in neural activation when participants engaged in self-criticism and self-reassurance

Summary

Introduction

The scientific study of compassion is burgeoning, the putative neurophysiological markers of programs which actively train distress tolerance, such as Compassionate Mind Training (CMT), are less well known. Longe et al.[15] used a different methodology and presented participants with written stimuli which describe a mistake, setback, or failure, and manipulated the emotionality of the vignettes (i.e., negative versus neutral) as well as the perspective to adopt (i.e., self-criticism verses self-reassurance). These factors were associated with unique neural substrates, whereby self-criticism was associated with activation within the DLPFC, and self-reassurance the anterior insula[15]. If the motive of a behavior or cognitive relating style is to reduce suffering there are many ways one can do this, such as being kind to oneself, as well as being self-reassuring[16,18]

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