Emotional contagion: Improving survival by preparing for socially sensed threats

Rats respond to the emotions of others. A new study reveals how their central amygdala uses such social information selfishly trigger defences that adapt nature danger with all hallmarks true emotional contagion. Fear, a powerful state triggered by detection threat, is key adaptive response aids survival triggering flexible behaviours depend on imminence danger. We share this emotion many other mammals and it has been studied richly in rats1Adolphs R. Mlodinow L. Barrett L.F. What an emotion?.Curr. Biol. 2019; 29: R1060-R1064Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (26) Google Scholar. If imminent, for instance if rat staring into feline’s eyes, will hide can or freeze cannot (Figure 1A). remote, as example indicated suspicious smell, assess risk rearing scanning its environment. In paper issue Current Biology, Andraka, Kondrakiewicz et al.2Andraka K. Rojek-Sito Ziegart-Sadowska Meyza Nikolaev T. Hamed A. Kursa M. Wójcik Danielewski al.Distinct circuits defensive behaviors evoked socially signaled imminent versus remote danger.Curr. 2021; 31: 2347-2358Abstract (8) Scholar report evidence rats do not have wait witness first-hand: they use sense presence remoteness danger, prepare deploying appropriate responses before directly 1A, right column). Their shows amygdala, previously known orchestrate reactions perceived threats3Fadok J.P. Markovic Tovote P. Lüthi New perspectives function.Curr. Opin. Neurobiol. 2018; 49: 141-147Crossref (108) Scholar, also orchestrates these reactions. That react fear another fear-typical interpreted empathy4Keum S. Shin H.S. Neural basis observational learning: potential model affective empathy.Neuron. 104: 78-86Abstract (24) This work invites us consider whether evolutionary roots sharing distress others may be found selfish motivation dangers5Han Y. Bruls Thomas R.M. Pentaraki V. Jelinek N. Heinemans Bassez I. Verschooren Pruis Van Lierde al.Bidirectional cingulate-dependent transfer across rats.PLoS 17: e3000524Crossref (21) Scholar,6Cruz Márquez C. Moita M.A. Freezing displayed learned cue resulting from co-experiencing own freezing shock.Curr. 2020; 30: 1128-1135.e6Abstract (14) Rodents are sensitive states species. They when freeze6Cruz receive shocks4Keum Scholar,5Han Because gold-standard indicator fear, become paradigm transmission animals. human literature, one triggers similar another, we speak contagion, seen precursor empathy — ability feel understand while attributing individual7de Waal F.B.M. Preston S.D. Mammalian empathy: behavioural manifestations neural basis.Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 2017; 18: 498-509Crossref (332) Empathy, turn, door inner others8Gallese Keysers Rizzolatti G. unifying view cognition.Trends Cogn. Sci. 2004; 8: 396-403Abstract (1458) some suggesting evolved generate caring maternity prosocial behaviour7de Scholar,9Preston The origins altruism offspring care.Psychol. Bull. 2013; 139: 1305-1341Crossref (181) Some findings, however, question whether, rats, really means caring: does strongly familiarity5Han Scholar; stronger females10Han Sichterman B. Maria Gazzola Similar levels contagion male female rats.Sci. Rep. 10: 2763Crossref (11) recordings suggest activity witnessing at risk11Schneider K.N. Sciarillo X.A. Nudelman J.L. Cheer J.F. Roesch M.R. Anterior cingulate cortex signals attention manipulates reward 3724-3735.e2Abstract (13) Together, findings feed different narrative perform more self-serving function: improving preparedness using sentinels5Han Scholar,12Kondrakiewicz Rokosz-Andraka Górkiewicz Gruszczy?ska Knapska E. Social rodents.Curr. Protoc. 90: e85Crossref (4) To refine our understanding well, through what mechanisms, rodents tune antennae, took distinction between well established face alone, domain. compared behaviour themselves experience no but paired demonstrator experiences either threats. threat paradigm, received footshocks observed demonstrator’s transparent perforated divider. had elsewhere, then returned homecage where interacted witness. was course: reaction would witnesses display? Electroshocks invisible inaudible, so direct distance shocks paradigms: nevertheless, responded had. condition, froze were being exposed themselves. explored environment reared, sensed threat. show simply sensing conspecific. Psychologists distinguish two processes could underpin 1B). One mimicry, which particular directly, rigidly, rapidly same just watching someone yawn make you yawn, seeing smile activate your zygomatic muscles13Chartrand T.L. Lakin antecedents consequences behavioral mimicry.Annu. Psychol. 64: 285-308Crossref (382) second person aligns only indirectly because people act somewhat similarly. Already level, al.’s2Andraka favour driving mechanism: dyads high-freezing demonstrators witnesses, quantitative predicts, tight second-to-second relationship animals characteristic missing. At wonder computational principle accounts Simulation theory proposes occurs reactivates substrates involved experiencing first-hand8Gallese Scholar,14Carrillo Han Migliorati F. Liu Emotional mirror neurons rat’s anterior cortex.Curr. 1301-1312.e6Abstract (74) Scholar,15Keysers Expanding mirror: vicarious actions, emotions, sensations.Curr. 2009; 19: 666-671Crossref (305) Recent confirmed pain rodent indeed significant proportion recruited first-hand pain14Carrillo Scholar,16Sakaguchi Iwasaki Okada Okamoto Ikegaya Ethanol facilitates memory recall mice recruiting pain-sensitive cortical neurons.Nat. Commun. 9: 3526Crossref (29) shed fresh light simulation asking critical deciding freezing, hiding, assessment important socially. injected virus engineered express excitatory opsin selectively recently activated c-Fos promoter. photo-stimulated active during placed arena 1C). contained place bright explore. Stimulating made hide, them Moving yet small devoid hiding options changed manifestation: now instead hiding. context-dependent selection further internal specific motor program, mimicry suggest, supports overlap those others, probably selecting most independently socially, sentinel3Fadok experiments thinking. First, provide compelling true, fine-grained rather than simple mimicry. Second, self-preserving behaviours: begs same, purpose. Indeed, simulations confirm aligning neighbours becoming scared close individuals less relaxed improves level danger5Han even flies signals17Ferreira C.H. Behavioral neuronal underpinnings safety numbers fruit flies.Nat. 11: 4182Crossref Embracing perspective negate possibility benefit others7de Scholar,18Hernandez-Lallement J. Attah A.T. Soyman Pinhal C.M. Harm acts negative reinforcer rats.Curr. 949-961.e7Abstract suggests self-preservation, mighty force, likely encouraged evolution. And third, adds cingulate, thalamus, basolateral animal’s others19Paradiso mechanisms necessary empathy-related phenomena species.Curr. 68: 107-115Crossref theory. debate about serves altruistic purposes, illustrates way forward. Rather arguing entire animal cares self-preservation benefiting dialectic approach perhaps delineate brain networks harm aversion18Hernandez-Lallement liberation20Yamagishi Lee Sato Oxytocin helping behaviour.Behav. Brain Res. 393: 112790Crossref (12) It shown nodes, both18Hernandez-Lallement Scholar,20Yamagishi tagging populations candidate regions reactivating situations other-regarding pave mechanistic interplay balance motives individual differences relevant psychiatric disorders. Where harness sentinels next frontier. Distinct dangerAndraka al.Current BiologyApril 12, 2021In BriefAndraka, al. passive responses, respectively. form Full-Text Open Archive