Hemispheric dorsolateral prefrontal cortex lateralization in the regulation of empathy for pain

Gabriel G Rêgo; Olívia M Lapenta; Lucas M Marques; Thiago L Costa; Jorge Leite; Sandra Carvalho; Óscar F Gonçalves; André R Brunoni; Felipe Fregni; Paulo S Boggio

doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2015.03.042

Hemispheric dorsolateral prefrontal cortex lateralization in the regulation of empathy for pain

Neurosci Lett. 2015 May 6:594:12-6. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2015.03.042. Epub 2015 Mar 21.

Affiliations

¹ Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, 01241-001 Sao Paulo, Brazil.
² Bouve College of Health Sciences, Department of Counseling and Applied Educational Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; Neuropsychophysiology Lab - CIPsi School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
³ Service of Interdisciplinary Neuromodulation (SIN), Department and Institute of Psychiatry and University Hospital, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁴ Spaulding Neuromodulation Center, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁵ Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, 01241-001 Sao Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: boggio@mackenzie.br.

PMID: 25805457
DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2015.03.042

Abstract

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is involved in the cognitive appraisal and modulation of the pain experience. In this sham-controlled study, with healthy volunteers, we used bi-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the DLPFC to assess emotional reactions elicited by pain observation. Left-cathodal/right-anodal tDCS decreased valence and arousal evaluations compared to other tDCS conditions. Compared to sham condition, both left-cathodal/right-anodal and left-anodal/right-cathodal tDCS decreased hostility, sadness and self-pain perception. These decreased sensations after both active tDCS suggest a common role for left and right DLPFC in personal distress modulation. However, the differences in arousal and valence evaluations point to distinct roles of lateralized DLPFC in cognitive empathy, probably through distinct emotion regulation mechanisms.

Keywords: Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; Emotion regulation; Pain empathy; Physical pain; Pupil dilation; Transcranial direct current stimulation.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Affect
Arousal
Double-Blind Method
Emotions
Empathy*
Female
Functional Laterality
Humans
Male
Pain*
Photic Stimulation
Prefrontal Cortex / physiology*
Pupil / physiology
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Visual Perception
Young Adult