Empathy in mice: role of amígdala, insula and anterior cingulate cortex in the modulation of nociceptive responses

• Grant number: 12/22238-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2013
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Azair Liane Matos Do Canto de Souza
• Grantee: Vinícius Pelarin Do Nascimento Costa
• Host Institution: Centro de Educação e Ciências Humanas (CECH). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

From an evolutionary perspective, empathy is expressed by the ability to perceive emotional signals in others. In this sense the ability to perceive pain also has clearly adaptative and evolutionary value. Some neuroscientific models, such as living together in pairs, show that a motor, perceptual and emotional state by a subject activates corresponding representations and neural processes in other subject that observes this state. Studies have been developed to clarify about the social modulation of emotional behaviors in rodents, this behavior related to empathy. Work from our group demonstrated that living together can alter nociceptive response in mice. However, clarification of how these processes would be relating remains controversal. The aim of this work is evaluate the role of different brain structures as amygdala, insular cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, on the effect of living together with a pair, submited to a model of chronic pain, in the modulation of nociception-related responses. For this, mice will be housed in pairs from weaning, where onde will be submited to constriction of the sciatic nerve. After 14 days, animals that lived with couple in distress, will receive microinjections of cobalt chloride in that above cited brain structures and the nociception indices will be evaluate by the writhing test.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ZANIBONI, CAROLINE R.; PELARIN, VINICIUS; BAPTISTA-DE-SOUZA, DANIELA; CANTO-DE-SOUZA, AZAIR. Empathy for Pain: Insula Inactivation and Systemic Treatment With Midazolam Reverses the Hyperalgesia Induced by Cohabitation With a Pair in Chronic Pain Condition. FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE, v. 12, NOV 16 2018. (12/22238-6, 15/11908-9)

RODRIGUES TAVARES, LIGIA RENATA; PELARIN, VINICIUS; BAPTISTA-DE-SOUZA, DANIELA; PEREIRA FERRARI, DANIELE; NUNES-DE-SOUZA, RICARDO LUIZ; CANTO-DE-SOUZA, AZAIR. 5-HT3 receptor within the amygdaloid complex modulates pain hypersensitivity induced by empathy model of cohabitation with a partner in chronic pain condition in mice. Social Neuroscience, JUL 2021. (12/22238-6, 17/25409-0, 15/15335-3)