The neuroelectric dynamics of the emotional anticipation of other people's pain.

Dorian Dozolme,Yu-Fang Yang,Elise Prigent,Michel-Ange Amorim,Cosimo Urgesi

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0200535

Abstract

When we observe a dynamic emotional facial expression, we usually automatically anticipate how that expression will develop. Our objective was to study a neurocognitive biomarker of this anticipatory process for facial pain expressions, operationalized as a mismatch effect. For this purpose, we studied the behavioral and neuroelectric (Event-Related Potential, ERP) correlates, of a match or mismatch, between the intensity of an expression of pain anticipated by the participant, and the intensity of a static test expression of pain displayed with the use of a representational momentum paradigm. Here, the paradigm consisted in displaying a dynamic facial pain expression which suddenly disappeared, and participants had to memorize the final intensity of the dynamic expression. We compared ERPs in response to congruent (intensity the same as the one memorized) and incongruent (intensity different from the one memorized) static expression intensities displayed after the dynamic expression. This paradigm allowed us to determine the amplitude and direction of this intensity anticipation by measuring the observer’s memory bias. Results behaviorally showed that the anticipation was backward (negative memory bias) for high intensity expressions of pain (participants expected a return to a neutral state) and more forward (memory bias less negative, or even positive) for less intense expressions (participants expected increased intensity). Detecting mismatch (incongruent intensity) led to faster responses than detecting match (congruent intensity). The neuroelectric correlates of this mismatch effect in response to the testing of expression intensity ranged from P100 to LPP (Late Positive Potential). Path analysis and source localization suggested that the medial frontal gyrus was instrumental in mediating the mismatch effect through top-down influence on both the occipital and temporal regions. Moreover, having the facility to detect incongruent expressions, by anticipating emotional state, could be useful for prosocial behavior and the detection of trustworthiness.

Highlights

Among different pain behavior, we focused our study on the perception of facial pain expression behavior and we investigated the emotional anticipation of dynamic facial pain expressions from both a behavioral and neurocognitive approach
The present study investigated the neurocognitive mechanisms involved in the emotional anticipation of facial expressions of pain with the help of behavioral measures and Event-related potentials (ERPs)
We measured ERPs in response to static facial intensities, which were perceived as congruent or incongruent with respect to the memorized intensity

Summary

Introduction

Humans possess the capacity of automatically and unconsciously anticipating the following movement of an observed movement that could be an object [1], a scene [2], a body or a facial. Emotional anticipation of other people’s pain expression [3,4,5]. Individuals can perceive the facial expressions of other people in order to gain an immediate impression of another individual’s current and future emotional state of mind [6]. We have chosen to focus on the perception of pain behavior in other people since the ability to recognize and interpret other people’s pain quickly can be of great importance to both the person who is suffering and the observer [8]. It is critical to everyday social functioning [9]

Objectives

Results

Conclusion