Children with facial paralysis due to Moebius syndrome exhibit reduced autonomic modulation during emotion processing
Abstract Background Facial mimicry is crucial in the recognition of others’ emotional state. Thus, the observation of others’ facial expressions activates the same neural representation of that affective state in the observer, along with related autonomic and somatic responses. What happens, therefo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s11689-019-9272-2 |
| _version_ | 1818881242147323904 |
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| author | Elisa De Stefani Martina Ardizzi Ylenia Nicolini Mauro Belluardo Anna Barbot Chiara Bertolini Gioacchino Garofalo Bernardo Bianchi Gino Coudé Lynne Murray Pier Francesco Ferrari |
| author_facet | Elisa De Stefani Martina Ardizzi Ylenia Nicolini Mauro Belluardo Anna Barbot Chiara Bertolini Gioacchino Garofalo Bernardo Bianchi Gino Coudé Lynne Murray Pier Francesco Ferrari |
| author_sort | Elisa De Stefani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Facial mimicry is crucial in the recognition of others’ emotional state. Thus, the observation of others’ facial expressions activates the same neural representation of that affective state in the observer, along with related autonomic and somatic responses. What happens, therefore, when someone cannot mimic others’ facial expressions? Methods We investigated whether psychophysiological emotional responses to others’ facial expressions were impaired in 13 children (9 years) with Moebius syndrome (MBS), an extremely rare neurological disorder (1/250,000 live births) characterized by congenital facial paralysis. We inspected autonomic responses and vagal regulation through facial cutaneous thermal variations and by the computation of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). These parameters provide measures of emotional arousal and show the autonomic adaptation to others’ social cues. Physiological responses in children with MBS were recorded during dynamic facial expression observation and were compared to those of a control group (16 non-affected children, 9 years). Results There were significant group effects on thermal patterns and RSA, with lower values in children with MBS. We also observed a mild deficit in emotion recognition in these patients. Conclusion Results support “embodied” theory, whereby the congenital inability to produce facial expressions induces alterations in the processing of facial expression of emotions. Such alterations may constitute a risk for emotion dysregulation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T14:58:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bd7bf6247f494cf6a4f4d139d150cf39 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1866-1947 1866-1955 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T14:58:45Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders |
| spelling | doaj.art-bd7bf6247f494cf6a4f4d139d150cf392022-12-21T20:16:38ZengBMCJournal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders1866-19471866-19552019-07-0111111610.1186/s11689-019-9272-2Children with facial paralysis due to Moebius syndrome exhibit reduced autonomic modulation during emotion processingElisa De Stefani0Martina Ardizzi1Ylenia Nicolini2Mauro Belluardo3Anna Barbot4Chiara Bertolini5Gioacchino Garofalo6Bernardo Bianchi7Gino Coudé8Lynne Murray9Pier Francesco Ferrari10Unit of Neuroscience, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of ParmaUnit of Neuroscience, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of ParmaUnit of Neuroscience, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of ParmaUnit of Neuroscience, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of ParmaUnit of Audiology and Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital of ParmaUnit of Audiology and Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital of ParmaDepartment of Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Industries, University of ParmaMaxillo-Facial Surgery Division, Head and Neck Department, University Hospital of ParmaInstitut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, CNRS, Université de LyonDepartment of Psychology, University of ReadingUnit of Neuroscience, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of ParmaAbstract Background Facial mimicry is crucial in the recognition of others’ emotional state. Thus, the observation of others’ facial expressions activates the same neural representation of that affective state in the observer, along with related autonomic and somatic responses. What happens, therefore, when someone cannot mimic others’ facial expressions? Methods We investigated whether psychophysiological emotional responses to others’ facial expressions were impaired in 13 children (9 years) with Moebius syndrome (MBS), an extremely rare neurological disorder (1/250,000 live births) characterized by congenital facial paralysis. We inspected autonomic responses and vagal regulation through facial cutaneous thermal variations and by the computation of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). These parameters provide measures of emotional arousal and show the autonomic adaptation to others’ social cues. Physiological responses in children with MBS were recorded during dynamic facial expression observation and were compared to those of a control group (16 non-affected children, 9 years). Results There were significant group effects on thermal patterns and RSA, with lower values in children with MBS. We also observed a mild deficit in emotion recognition in these patients. Conclusion Results support “embodied” theory, whereby the congenital inability to produce facial expressions induces alterations in the processing of facial expression of emotions. Such alterations may constitute a risk for emotion dysregulation.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s11689-019-9272-2Moebius childrenFacial expressionsAutonomic nervous systemThermal infrared imagingRespiratory sinus arrhythmiaEmotion recognition |
| spellingShingle | Elisa De Stefani Martina Ardizzi Ylenia Nicolini Mauro Belluardo Anna Barbot Chiara Bertolini Gioacchino Garofalo Bernardo Bianchi Gino Coudé Lynne Murray Pier Francesco Ferrari Children with facial paralysis due to Moebius syndrome exhibit reduced autonomic modulation during emotion processing Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Moebius children Facial expressions Autonomic nervous system Thermal infrared imaging Respiratory sinus arrhythmia Emotion recognition |
| title | Children with facial paralysis due to Moebius syndrome exhibit reduced autonomic modulation during emotion processing |
| title_full | Children with facial paralysis due to Moebius syndrome exhibit reduced autonomic modulation during emotion processing |
| title_fullStr | Children with facial paralysis due to Moebius syndrome exhibit reduced autonomic modulation during emotion processing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Children with facial paralysis due to Moebius syndrome exhibit reduced autonomic modulation during emotion processing |
| title_short | Children with facial paralysis due to Moebius syndrome exhibit reduced autonomic modulation during emotion processing |
| title_sort | children with facial paralysis due to moebius syndrome exhibit reduced autonomic modulation during emotion processing |
| topic | Moebius children Facial expressions Autonomic nervous system Thermal infrared imaging Respiratory sinus arrhythmia Emotion recognition |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s11689-019-9272-2 |
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