Empathy is the ability to understand and react to other people's inner states. Neuroimaging evidence suggests that there are two aspects of empathy which are subserved by distinct brain networks. The emotional aspect of empathy is reflected by bottom-up processes and the cognitive aspect of empathy is influenced by top-down processes. Both aspects can be studied by measuring the reaction of participants exposed to the pictures of models who feel physical pain, for example, having a needle stuck in their cheek. The early event-related potential (ERP) N2 has been reported in observing other’s physical pain and has been suggested as a biomarker of the emotional aspect of empathy. The present study investigated the time course of processing other’s pain and the influence of face attractiveness on the early ERP component. Participants (N = 24) viewed photos of physically attractive and unattractive men and women during painful (a needle in the check) and nonpainful stimulation (Q-tip touching the skin). N1 and P2 components were sensitive to face attractiveness. The amplitude of the N2 component was more positive for the stimuli associated with pain than for neutral stimuli, but only for unattractive faces. Therefore, we suggest that a difference in the N2 amplitude to pain in unattractive faces most likely reflects a difference in emphatic response depending on facial attractiveness.

中文翻译：

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感受他人的痛苦：面部吸引力和情感移情的事件相关潜在研究

同理心是理解他人内心状态并做出反应的能力。神经影像学证据表明，同理心的两个方面受到不同大脑网络的支持。同理心的情感方面由自下而上的过程反映，而同理心的认知方面则受自上而下的过程影响。这两个方面都可以通过测量参与者对感到身体疼痛的模型图片的反应来研究，例如，针刺在他们的脸颊上。早期事件相关电位 (ERP) N2 已被报道用于观察他人的身体疼痛，并被建议作为同理心情绪方面的生物标志物。本研究调查了处理他人痛苦的时间过程以及面部吸引力对早期 ERP 成分的影响。参与者（N = 24）在疼痛（检查针头）和非疼痛刺激（棉签接触皮肤）期间查看了外表有吸引力和没有吸引力的男性和女性的照片。N1 和 P2 分量对面部吸引力很敏感。与中性刺激相比，与疼痛相关的刺激的 N2 分量的幅度更积极，但仅限于没有吸引力的面孔。因此，我们认为，在不吸引人的面孔中，N2 振幅对疼痛的差异很可能反映了取决于面部吸引力的强调反应的差异。与中性刺激相比，与疼痛相关的刺激的 N2 分量的幅度更积极，但仅限于没有吸引力的面孔。因此，我们认为，在不吸引人的面孔中，N2 振幅对疼痛的差异很可能反映了取决于面部吸引力的强调反应的差异。与中性刺激相比，与疼痛相关的刺激的 N2 分量的幅度更积极，但仅限于没有吸引力的面孔。因此，我们认为，在不吸引人的面孔中，N2 振幅对疼痛的差异很可能反映了取决于面部吸引力的强调反应的差异。