When people are ill, they feel less empathy for the psychological pain of others than when they are healthy.
- Administration of a low dose of lipopolysaccharide results in increased plasma cytokines and disease symptoms, as well as low mood.
- In a new study, women suffering from acute inflammation showed significantly less empathy for the psychological pain of others.
- “The results may have socio-political relevance,” according to the authors.
“Disease behavior.” It is a process by which the body reorganizes its biological priorities when an acute infection is present. Although previous research has shown that inflammation induced by administration of a low dose of lipopolysaccharide can impair social behavior, “its impact on empathy remains poorly understood”, according to researchers from the universities of Ruhr and Duisburg-Essen (Germany). In a recent study, they wanted to understand how infections with inflammation in the body affect our ability to empathize with the pain of others.
Acute inflammation leads to reduced empathy for the psychological pain of others
For the purposes of the work, published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, the scientists recruited 52 healthy women. They were divided into two groups at random. Some received a low dose of lipopolysaccharide, others received an injection of physiological serum as a placebo. Participants were then asked to rate various social interactions. The team showed them images of women experiencing somatic or psychological pain, or in an emotionally neutral interaction with a male counterpart. Physiological responses (i.e. blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, cytokines, cortisol) were analyzed as well as disease symptoms and mood before and after administration of lipopolysaccharide or placebo.
“The results surprised us”said Vera Flasbeck, who led the study. Physiologically, lipopolysaccharide administration resulted in a significant increase in plasma cytokines and disease symptoms, as well as low mood. “While empathy for somatic pain was largely the same in the lipopolysaccharide group and the placebo group, there was a significant reduction in empathy for psychological pain in subjects exposed to lipopolysaccharide,” added the lead author of the research.
“Determining differences in empathy based on attachment and familiarity”
In the conclusions, the authors indicate that acute inflammation affects both our physical health and our interpersonal relationships. “The results may have socio-political relevance. For example, how does a general feeling of illness affect decision-making, for example regarding political decisions? (…) It would be very interesting to determine in Future work investigates differences in empathy for psychological and somatic pain as a function of attachment and familiarity.”