Neurofisiología de la empatía: una revisión de investigaciones

Autores/as

  • Roberto Verdugo A. Laboratorio de Neurosistemas, Facultad de Medicina,Universidad de Chile
  • Enrique Lorca P. Ministerio de Salud); Ministerio del Interior

Resumen

La empatía es un constructo con múltiples definiciones y modelos explicativos, los cuales se han conformado a partir de observaciones e investigaciones en humanos y otros animales. En el presente, se revisaron estudios en humanos sanos, que vincula empatía con conducta motora, sistema nervioso autónomo y central. La evidencia presentada apoya la asociación entre empatía y el sistema de neuronas en espejo, la imitación facial, el contagio pupilar, el sistema autonómico, la interocepción, la conectividad neuronal, la ínsula, el cíngulo, entre otras. Finalmente, esta revisión incentiva el estudio, investigación y desarrollo de las múltiples áreas y disciplinas que tratan con la empatía.

Palabras clave:

empatía, rostro, sistema nervioso autónomo, neuronas en espejo, ínsula, interocepción

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