2013

Affect-specific activation of shared networks for perception and execution of facial expressions

Abstract Previous studies have shown overlapping neural activations for observation and execution or imitation of emotional facial expressions. These shared representations have been assumed to provide indirect evidence for a human mirror neuron system, which is suggested to be a prerequisite of action comprehension. We aimed at clarifying whether shared representations in and beyond human […]

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On the role of critique for science: a reply to Bao and Pöppel

Abstract We are pleased that the concerns raised about cultural neuroscience (CN) have initiated a debate. This indicates that there are some issues worth being discussed in the field. Nevertheless we think that the response by Bao and Pöppel (2012) expresses some misinterpretations of the aims pursued by our critical review on CN studies (Martínez

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Demands in reflecting about another’s motives and intentions modulate vicarious embarrassment in autism spectrum disorders

Abstract The affective responses to another person’s condition depend on the ability to reflect about another’s thoughts and intentions. This is relevant also for high-functioning individuals with ASD who have considerable difficulties in reading the intentions of others. With the present study we introduce a novel paradigm to induce vicarious embarrassment as a form of

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Potential bias in meta-analyses of effect sizes in imaging genetics

Abstract The penetrance of genetic variation has been assumed to be higher at the level of neural phenotypes than at the level of behavioral phenotypes. One of the few attempts to validate this assumption is the study of Rose and Donohoe published in this issue. In this article, we will address 2 methodological issues we

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Partial support for ZNF804A genotype-dependent alterations in prefrontal connectivity

Abstract Genome-wide association studies identified the single nucleotide polymorphism rs1344706 in ZNF804A as a common risk-variant for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Whereas the molecular function of ZNF804A is yet unclear, recent imaging genetics studies have started to characterize the neural systems architecture linking rs1344706 genotype to psychosis. Carring rs1344706 risk-alleles was associated with a decrease

Partial support for ZNF804A genotype-dependent alterations in prefrontal connectivity Read More »

On the distinction of empathic and vicarious emotions

Abstract In the introduction to the special issue “The Neural Underpinnings of Vicarious Experience” the editors state that one “may feel embarrassed when witnessing another making a social faux pas”. In our commentary we address this statement and ask whether this example introduces a vicarious or an empathic form of embarrassment. We elaborate commonalities and

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Essentializing the binary self: Individualism and collectivism in cultural neuroscience

Abstract Within the emerging field of cultural neuroscience (CN) one branch of research focuses on the neural underpinnings of “individualistic/Western” vs. “collectivistic/Eastern” self-views. These studies uncritically adopt essentialist assumptions from classic cross-cultural research, mainly following the tradition of Markus and Kitayama (1991), into the domain of functional neuroimaging. In this perspective article we analyze recent

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Comparing the neural correlates of affective and cognitive theory of mind using fMRI: Involvement of the basal ganglia in affective theory of mind

Abstract Theory of Mind (ToM) is the ability to infer other people’s mental states like intentions or desires. ToM can be differentiated into affective (i.e., recognizing the feelings of another person) and cognitive (i.e., inferring the mental state of the counterpart) subcomponents. Recently, subcortical structures such as the basal ganglia (BG) have also been ascribed

Comparing the neural correlates of affective and cognitive theory of mind using fMRI: Involvement of the basal ganglia in affective theory of mind Read More »

Advancing the neuroscience of social emotions with social immersion

Abstract Second-person neuroscience offers a framework for the study of social emotions, such as embarrassment and pride. However, we propose that an enduring mental representation of oneself in relation to others without a continuous direct social interaction is possible. We call this state “social immersion” and will explain its impact on the neuroscience of social

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Functional polymorphism in the neuropeptide Y gene promoter (rs16147) is associated with serum leptin levels and waist-hip ratio in women

Abstract Objective: The neuropeptide-Y (NP-Y) gene is a strong candidate gene in the pathophysiology of obesity-linked behavior, and several single-nucleotide polymorphisms of NP-Y have already been linked to body weight and appetite. However, the results from current studies remain inconclusive. The aim of the present study was to test whether a certain functional genetic variant (SNP

Functional polymorphism in the neuropeptide Y gene promoter (rs16147) is associated with serum leptin levels and waist-hip ratio in women Read More »

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