| [Objective]:The mechanism of brain functional network in empathy for pain is one of the research hot-spots of brain science in recent years.Moreover,in order to obtain more reliable results in this area,using neuroimaging techniques may be a good choice.As a result,two experiments were designed by resting-state functional magnetic imaging(rs-fMRI)and Regional homogeneity(ReHo)to explore the mechanism of brain network in empathy for pain.Experiment A:The differences of brain network in empathy for pain between pain status and no-pain status.Experiment B:The differences of brain network in empathy for pain between male and female.[Methods]:[Experiment A]:Step one:30 health subjects were included in our study.Two groups were divided in term of pain or not.We defined the pain status as experimental group and the non-pain status as control group(experimental group=16,control group=14).Meanwhile,the experimental group was arranged along with moderate pain stimulation(intramuscular injection of 3%hypertonic sailne at the waist),but the control group was not.Step two:Picture paradigm was selected for the experiment.Two groups were divided according to hurtful and non-hurtful.We defined the hurtful status as Group A and the non-hurtful status as GroupB.Instructions were designed in order to make the experimentation more conveniently.The fMRI scan was ordered in every data sequence.Step three:The name of data sequence were as follows:1.The experimental group:"Rest";"Pain";"GroupA";"GroupB";2.The control group:"Rest";"GroupA";"GroupB";Paired sample t-test was used in one group while two independent sample t-tests were used for comparison between groups.Step four:We used Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)and Interpersonal Reactivity Index(IRI)to evaluate the degree of pain and empathy of all subjects after each scan.[Experiment B]:Step one:30 health subjects were selected again for this experiment.Two groups were divided in term of male and female(Male group= 15,Female group=15).Meanwhile,two groups were arranged along with moderate pain stimulation similarly(intramuscular injection of 3%hypertonic sailne at the waist).Step two:Picture paradigm was selected for the experiment.Two groups were divided according to hurtful and non-hurtful.We defined the hurtful status as GroupA and the non-hurtful status as GroupB.Instructions were designed in order to make the experimentation more conveniently.The fMRI scan was ordered in every data sequence.Step three:The name of data sequence were as follows:1.The male group:"Rest";"Pain";"GroupA";"GroupB";2.The female group:"Rest";"Pain";"GroupA";"GroupB";Paired sample t-test was used in each group.Step four:We used Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)and Interpersonal Reactivity Index(IRI)to evaluate the degree of pain and empathy of all subjects after each scan.[Results]:[Experiment A]:1.Paired sample t-test was used in experimental group and control group respectively and the results were as follows:(1)The outcome of experimental group:1)Comparisons in "GroupA" and "Pain",the alteration of ReHo was in these brain areas:Inferior Temporal Gyrus(L),Occipital Superior Gyrus(L),Middle Temporal Gyrus(L),Posterior lobe of cerebellum(L),Occipital Superior Gyrus(R),Superior Frontal Gyrus(R),Claustrum(R).2)Comparisons in "GroupB" and "Pain",the alteration of ReHo was in these brain areas:Posterior lobe of cerebellum(L),Cerebellum Posterior Lobe(R),Fusiform Gyrus(R),Calcarine(L),Lentiform Nucleus(R),Precuneus(L),Cingulate Gyrus(L),Superior Frontal Gyrus(L),Superior Frontal Gyrus(R).3)Comparisons in "Pain" and "Rest",the alteration of ReHo was in these brain areas:Cerebellum Anterior Lobe(R),Fusiform(R),Cerebellum Posterior Lobe(R),Limbic Lobe(L),Lentiform Nucleus(R),Inferior Parietal Lobule(R),Supramarginal Gyrus(L),Precentral Gyrus(L).(2)The outcome of control group:1)Comparisons in "GroupA" and "Rest",the alteration of ReHo was in these brain areas:Cerebellum Anterior Lobe(L);Middle Temporal Gyrus(R);Parahippocampal Gyrus(R);Insula(R);Medial Frontal Gyrus(R);Precentral Gyrus(R);Precuneus(R);Interior Parietal Lobule(R);Superior Frontal Gyrus(R)2)Comparisons in "GroupB" and "Rest",the alteration of ReHo was in these brain areas:Superior Temporal Gyrus(L);Inferior Frontal Gyrus(L);FusiformGyrus(L);Parahippocampa Gyrus(R);Insula(R);Middle Frontal Gyrus(L);Lentiform Nucleus(R);Precentral Gyrus(L);Supramarginal Gyrus(L);Precuneus(R);Superior Parietal Lobule(R).2.Two independent sample t-tests was used between experimental group and control group.The results were as follows:(1)For hurtful picture,comparison between experimental group and control group,the alteration of ReHo was in these brain areas:Inferior Temporal Gyrus(R);Cerebellum Posterior Lobe(L);Cerebellum Anterior Lobe(R);Parahippocampa Gyrus(L);Parahippocampa Gyrus(R);Lingual Gyrus(L);Anterior Cingulate(L);Middle Frontal Gyrus(R);Calcarine(R);Insula(L);Insula(R);Middle Temporal Gyrus(R);Precuneus(L);Precentral Gyrus(R);Postcentral Gyrus(R).(2)For non-hurtful picture,comparison between experimental group and control group,the alteration of ReHo was in these brain areas:Superior Frontal Gyrus(R);Occipital Superior Gyrus(L);Fusiform Gyrus(R);Inferior Parietal Lobule(R);Middle Temporal Gyrus(L);Limbic Lobe(L);Cingulate Gyrus(L);Claustrum(R).[Experiment B]:Paired sample t-test was used in experimental group and control group respectively and the results were as follows:1.The outcome of the male group:(1)Comparisons in "GroupA" and "Pain",the alteration of ReHo was in these brain areas:Inferior Temporal Gyrus(L),Occipital Superior Gyrus(L),Middle Temporal Gyrus(L),Superior Frontal Gyrus(R),Claustrum(R),Fusiform Gyrus(L).(2)Comparisons in "GroupB" and "Pain",the alteration of ReHo was in these brain areas:Posterior lobe of cerebellum(L),Fusiform Gyrus(R),Calcarine(L),Lentiform Nucleus(R),Precuneus(L),Cingulate Gyrus(L),Superior Frontal Gyrus(L).(3)Comparisons in "Pain" and "Rest",the alteration of ReHo was in these brain areas:Cerebellum Anterior Lobe(R),Posterior lobe of cerebellum(L),Fusiform Gyrus(R),Calcarine(L),Lentiform Nucleus(R),Precuneus(L),Cingulate Gyrus(L),Superior Frontal Gyrus(L).2.The outcome of the female group:(1)Comparisons in "GroupA" and "Rest",the alteration of ReHo was in these brain areas:Inferior Temporal Gyrus(L);Middle Temporal Gyrus(L);Occipital Superior Gyrus(R);Superior Frontal Gyrus(R);Claustrum(R);Fusiform Gyrus(R).(2)Comparisons in "GroupB" and "Rest",the alteration of ReHo was in these brain areas:Cerebellum Posterior Lobe(R);Fusiform Gyrus(R);Lentiform Nucleus(R);Precuneus(L);Cingulate Gyrus(L);Superior Frontal Gyrus(R).(3)Comparisons in "Pain" and "Rest",the alteration of ReHo was in these brain areas:Cerebellum Anterior Lobe(R);Fusiform(R);Limbic Lobe(L);Lentiform Nucleus(R).[Conclusions]:This paper explored the characteristics of the brain network activity of empathy for pain from two experiments.First,we suggested that the core area of pain empathy is the anterior insula and anterior cingulate gyrus.This point is consistent with previous correlational studies.Second,it seems that the region of parietal cortex(like inferior parietal lobule)may be more involved in the process of empathy for pain as a coordinator while it is also an important area of the mirror neuron networks.Thus,this view is also consistent with the previous point.Third,our article has shown that some other brain areas are play an important role in empathy activity.They are involved in temporal lobe cortex(like middle temporal gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus),occipital cortex(like middle occipital gyrus and inferior occipital gyrus),visual association cortex of the temporal-occipital lobe(like fusiform)and basal ganglia(like claustrum).Forth,according to the outcome of resting state fMRI,we believe that the gender difference is one of the most important factors in empathy for pain due to women are sensitive to pain status.Moreover,some areas of temporal lobe cortex,occipital cortex and visual association cortex of the temporal-occipital lobe maybe the co-activation brain region between men and women.However,we have discovered that women's limbic systems,such as the hippocampus and cingulate gyrus,are more active than men's.It may be related to the level of activity in women's emotional circuits. |
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