Ihme Klas, Sacher Julia, Lichev Vladimir, Rosenberg Nicole, Kugel Harald, Rufer Michael, Grabe Hans-Jörgen, Pampel André, Lepsien Jöran, Kersting Anette, Villringer Arno, Lane Richard D, Suslow Thomas
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Semmelweisstr. 10, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Department of Neurology, Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstr. 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Clinic of Cognitive Neurology, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 16, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Neuropsychologia. 2014 Nov;64:289-99. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2014.09.044. Epub 2014 Oct 2.
The ability to recognize subtle facial expressions can be valuable in social interaction to infer emotions and intentions of others. Research has shown that the personality trait of alexithymia is linked to difficulties labeling facial expressions especially when these are presented with temporal constraints. The present study investigates the neural mechanisms underlying this deficit. 50 young healthy volunteers had to label briefly presented (≤100ms) emotional (happy, angry, fearful) facial expressions masked by a neutral expression while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). A multi-method approach (20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale and Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia) was administered to assess alexithymic tendencies. Behavioral results point to a global deficit of alexithymic individuals in labeling brief facial expressions. Alexithymia was related to decreased response of the ventral striatum to negative facial expressions. Moreover, alexithymia was associated with lowered activation in frontal, temporal and occipital cortices. Our data suggest that alexithymic individuals have difficulties in creating appropriate representations of the emotional state of other persons under temporal constraints. These deficiencies could lead to problems in labeling other people׳s facial emotions.
识别微妙面部表情的能力在社交互动中对于推断他人的情绪和意图可能很有价值。研究表明，述情障碍的人格特质与对面部表情进行标注的困难有关，尤其是当这些表情在有时间限制的情况下呈现时。本研究调查了这种缺陷背后的神经机制。50名年轻健康志愿者在接受功能磁共振成像（fMRI）时，必须对面部表情被中性表情掩盖的短暂呈现（≤100毫秒）的情绪（高兴、愤怒、恐惧）面部表情进行标注。采用多方法（20项多伦多述情障碍量表和多伦多述情障碍结构化访谈）来评估述情障碍倾向。行为结果表明，述情障碍个体在标注短暂面部表情方面存在整体缺陷。述情障碍与腹侧纹状体对负面面部表情的反应降低有关。此外，述情障碍与额叶、颞叶和枕叶皮质的激活降低有关。我们的数据表明，述情障碍个体在有时间限制的情况下难以对他人的情绪状态形成适当的表征。这些缺陷可能导致在标注他人面部情绪时出现问题。
