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. 2016 Mar 15:7:380.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00380. eCollection 2016.

Using tDCS to Explore the Role of the Right Temporo-Parietal Junction in Theory of Mind and Cognitive Empathy

Xiaoqin Mai  1 , Wenli Zhang  1 , Xinmu Hu  1 , Zhen Zhen  2 , Zhenhua Xu  1 , Jing Zhang  1 , Chao Liu  2
Affiliations

Using tDCS to Explore the Role of the Right Temporo-Parietal Junction in Theory of Mind and Cognitive Empathy

Xiaoqin Mai et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

The right temporo-parietal junction (rTPJ) is thought to be closely related to theory of mind (ToM) and cognitive empathy. In the present study, we investigated whether these socio-cognitive abilities could be modulated with non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the rTPJ. Participants received anodal (excitatory), cathodal (inhibitory), or sham stimulation before performing a social cognitive task which included inferring other's intention (the ToM condition) and inferring other's emotion (the cognitive empathy condition). Our results showed that the accuracy of both ToM and cognitive empathy decreased after receiving the cathodal stimulation, suggesting that altering the cortical excitability in the rTPJ could influence human's socio-cognitive abilities. The results of this study emphasize the critical role of the rTPJ in ToM and cognitive empathy and demonstrate that these socio-cognitive abilities could be modulated by the tDCS.

Keywords: cognitive empathy; social cognition; temporo-parietal junction (TPJ); theory of mind; transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The location of the anodal or cathodal electrode was placed in the MNI coordinates (adapted from Jurcak et al., 2007).
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Examples of stimuli from four conditions. The correct answers in (A) Theory of mind (ToM), (B) Physical 1, (C) Empathy, and (D) Physical 2 stories are picture 1, picture 2, picture 2, and picture 1, respectively (derived from Vollm et al., 2006).
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Mean accuracy in each task condition for three stimulation groups. Error bars indicate SEM (standard error of the mean). ∗P < 0.05.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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