Sensorimotor responses and emotional perception in empathy for pain: An study in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and healthy older adults

Background Motricity has been proposed to shape our perception and the pre-reflective knowledge of other as embodied agents. Through motor system, we have a meaningful conception experience (empathy). We compared sensorimotor responses emotional in persons with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s (PD), healthy older adults (HOA) while they watched videos sportswomen/sportsmen suffering physical accidents neutral condition. Method 86 participants than 60 years were recruited (AD = 28, PD 25, HOA 33). Subjects AD diagnosed following NINCDS-ADRDA criteria United Kingdom Disease Society Brain Bank. The assessment consisted two parts. Firstly, neuropsychological battery that included global cognition (ACE-III), executive function (IFS, FAS), memory (FCRST), social (Minisea). Secondly, stood up without moving on force platform watching (60 seconds long seven scenes each). One video showed having practicing extreme sports (pain condition), was condition (home furnishings). At end each video, rated valence, intensity, control (1-9). Each scene analyzed through six consecutive windows: three before fall after fall. windows selected by taking central temporal part scene. Subsequently, window, AnteroPosterior amplitude Center Pressure (AP-CoP) calculated. Results Participants significant impairment practically all cognitive domains, HOA. An Anova (group*condition*temporal windows) revealed simple effect group AP-CoP displacement. higher both pain condition, but not AD. In ANOVA (group*condition), (p <0.01) valence (5,93±2,72) (3,52±2,2) (4,06±2,29). Conclusion Sensorimotor enhanced when Moreover, patients marked perceiving empathy towards others.