Science

Humans feel sympathy pains due to 'mirror neurons' that activates on seeing others in pain


Animals are capable of empathising and feeling the pain of others, a study has found.

Researchers investigating how animal brains function found a region known as the cingulate cortex is activated when an animal is in physical pain and is also active when looking at another animal in discomfort. 

A team from the Netherlands studied this region of the brain in rats and found they empathise with others in much the same way as humans do. 

And when the region of the brain is removed, so is the ability to relate to another’s suffering.  

Research in the area could provide insights into psychiatric disorders where a lack of empathy is a key factor, such as in those observed in psychopaths, the scientists claim. 

This could be achieved through the modulation of the neurons identified in the current study to and emotions they trigger. 

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In a study performed on rats, scientists saw that these emotion disappeared with the removal of these neurons. Similar responses in the brain of rats and humans are activated for pain perception, but those with the neurons removed, rats were unable to feel the pain of others (stock image)

 In a study performed on rats, scientists saw that these emotion disappeared with the removal of these neurons. Similar responses in the brain of rats and humans are activated for pain perception, but those with the neurons removed, rats were unable to feel the pain of others (stock image)

Humans share the same  fundamental mechanisms with animals, like the rats in the study.

Just like us, the same cells in the brain of rats are activated when the rodents feel pain themselves as well as when they see and feel the pain of others. 

These cells  are found in a region known as ‘the cingulate cortex’ of the brain, similarly to humans. 

Neuroimaging studies on human brains had showed that neurons in this part of the brain, which cause individuals to feel pain, become ‘reactivated’ when we see others in pain. 

Researchers investigating how animal brains function found a region known as the cingulate cortex (area highlighted by red dots) is activated when an animal is in physical pain and is also active when looking at another animal in discomfort

Researchers investigating how animal brains function found a region known as the cingulate cortex (area highlighted by red dots) is activated when an animal is in physical pain and is also active when looking at another animal in discomfort

For the first time in the current study, researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience tested the theory in rats. 

They had rats look at other rats receiving a mild shock and measured what happened in the brain activity and the behaviour of the observing rat.

 The researchers found that the rat froze when it observed another rat exposed to an unpleasant situation, an indication of being scared which has been shown previously. 

Corresponding recordings of the cingulate cortex, the very region thought to underpin empathy in humans, showed that the observing rats activated the very neurons in the cingulate cortex that also became active when the rat experienced pain himself in a separate experiment. 

But when researchers suppressed the activity of cells in the cingulate cortex through the injection of a drug they found that observing rats no longer froze without activity in this brain region. 

This observation suggests that the observing rat shared the emotion of the other rat.

It is estimated that about 1 in 100 people are psychopaths. Research into the area could provide insights into psychiatric disorders where a lack of empathy is a key factor, such as in those observed in psychopaths. The image shows Christian Bale as the lead character in the film American Psycho

It is estimated that about 1 in 100 people are psychopaths. Research into the area could provide insights into psychiatric disorders where a lack of empathy is a key factor, such as in those observed in psychopaths. The image shows Christian Bale as the lead character in the film American Psycho

Professor Christian Keysers, the lead author of the study from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, said: ‘What is most amazing is that this all happens in exactly the same brain region in rats as in humans. 

We had already found in humans, that brain activity of the cingulate cortex increases when we observe the pain of others, unless we are talking about psychopathic criminals, who show a remarkable reduction of this activity.’  

‘It also shows us that empathy, the ability to feel with the emotions of others, is deeply rooted in our evolution. 

It is estimated that about 1 in 100 people are psychopaths – similar to the number of people who are teachers.

Research in the area could provide insights into psychiatric disorders where a lack of empathy is a key factor, such as in those observed in psychopaths. This could be achieved through the modulation of the neurons identified in the current study to and emotions they trigger (stock)

Research in the area could provide insights into psychiatric disorders where a lack of empathy is a key factor, such as in those observed in psychopaths. This could be achieved through the modulation of the neurons identified in the current study to and emotions they trigger (stock)

Psychopathy involves persistent antisocial behaviour, impaired empathy and remorse, boldness, emotional resiliency, meanness, impulsivity and extremely egotistical traits.

This test has not been performed on humans as it is not yet possible to record the activity of individual brain cells in humans. 

It is also not possible to modulate brain activity in the human cingulate cortex to determine whether this brain region is responsible for empathy.

As many psychiatric disorders are characterised by a lack of empathy, finding the neural basis for sharing the emotions of others, say scientists. 

Being able to modify how much an animal shares the emotions of others, may also help towards understanding empathy and these disorders as well as their treatments. 

WHAT IS PAIN?  

Health professionals use different terms for different types of pain.

•Short-term pain is called Acute Pain. An example is a sprained ankle.

•Long-term is called Persistent or Chronic Pain. Back trouble or arthritis are examples.

•Pain that comes and goes is called Recurrent or Intermittent Pain. A tooth ache could be one.

Pain signals use the spinal cord and specialised nerve fibres to travel to our brain.  

Pain is never “just in the mind” or “just in the body” – it is a complex mix involving our whole being.

Source: British Pain Society  



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