10.6084/m9.figshare.1558201.v3
Gustav Nilsonne
Gustav
Nilsonne
Sandra Tamm
Sandra
Tamm
Armita Golkar
Armita
Golkar
Karolina Sörman
Karolina
Sörman
Katarina Howner
Katarina
Howner
Marianne Kristiansson
Marianne
Kristiansson
Andreas Olsson
Andreas
Olsson
Martin Ingvar
Martin
Ingvar
Predrag Petrovic
Predrag
Petrovic
Effects of 25 mg oxazepam on emotional mimicry and empathy for pain: a randomized controlled experiment
figshare
2017
empathy
benzodiazepines
emotional mimicry
emotional contagion
psychopathic traits
Physiology
Medicine
Neuroscience
Pharmacology
2017-01-22 19:17:26
Journal contribution
https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/No_effect_of_25_mg_oxazepam_on_physiological_and_self_rated_responses_to_pain_in_others_a_randomized_controlled_experiment/1558201
<p><strong>Abstract</strong><br>Emotional mimicry and empathy are mechanisms underlying social interaction. Benzodiazepines have been proposed to inhibit empathy and promote antisocial behaviour. We aimed to investigate effects of oxazepam on emotional mimicry and empathy for pain, and secondarily to investigate the association of personality traits to emotional mimicry and empathy. Participants (<i>n</i> = 76) were randomised to 25 mg oxazepam or placebo. Emotional mimicry was examined using video clips with emotional expressions. Empathy was investigated by pain stimulating the participant and a confederate. We recorded self-rated experience, activity in major zygomatic and superciliary corrugator muscles, skin conductance, and heart rate. In the mimicry experiment, oxazepam inhibited corrugator activity. In the empathy experiment, oxazepam caused increased self-rated unpleasantness and skin conductance. However, oxazepam did not specifically inhibit emotional mimicry nor empathy for pain. Responses in both experiments were associated to self-rated empathic, psychopathic, and alexithymic traits. The present results do not support a specific effect of 25 mg oxazepam on emotional mimicry or empathy.</p>