How can one enhance activation of brain areas involved in emotional processing and empathy?

From the Guidelines

To enhance activation of brain areas involved in emotional processing and empathy, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for children (MBCT-C) is a highly effective approach, as it has been shown to increase activation of brain structures implicated in emotion processing, such as the bilateral insula, lentiform nucleus, thalamus, and left anterior cingulate 1. This approach, which incorporates mindfulness training and cognitive behavioral techniques, has been demonstrated to be effective in decreasing symptoms of anxiety and depression in both adults and youth 1. The MBCT-C program, which consists of 12 weekly sessions, teaches youth to stay in the moment by remaining mindful of thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations, and has been associated with improved clinician- and child-rated anxiety symptoms, as well as parent-rated emotional regulation 1. Some key components of MBCT-C that can be incorporated into daily life to enhance emotional processing and empathy include:

• Mindfulness exercises, such as meditation practice, breath training, and body scans, which can help individuals stay present and focused on their thoughts and emotions 1
• Cognitive behavioral techniques, such as identifying and challenging negative thought patterns, which can help individuals better regulate their emotions and develop more adaptive coping strategies 1
• Emotion regulation skills, such as recognizing and labeling emotions, which can help individuals better understand and manage their emotional experiences 1 Additionally, other approaches, such as the reducing unwanted stress in the home (RUSH) program, which targets risk factors in the family environment associated with negative outcomes in offspring of parents with bipolar disorder, may also be beneficial in enhancing emotional processing and empathy 1. However, MBCT-C is the most strongly supported approach, based on the most recent and highest quality evidence 1.

From the Research

Enhancing Activation of Brain Areas Involved in Emotional Processing and Empathy

To enhance activation of brain areas involved in emotional processing and empathy, several strategies can be employed:

• Practicing loving-kindness meditation (LKM) and compassion meditation (CM) has been shown to increase positive affect and decrease negative affect, and may enhance activation of brain areas involved in emotional processing and empathy 2.
• Compassion meditation has been found to activate brain areas involved in empathy, such as the left medial prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate gyrus 3.
• Stimulation of brain mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) has been shown to improve cognitive empathy in patients with major depression and healthy controls 4.
• Good sleep quality has been associated with increased activation in the insular cortex, a region involved in emotional empathy 5.

Key Brain Areas Involved

The following brain areas have been implicated in emotional processing and empathy:

• Medial prefrontal cortex: involved in emotional processing and empathy 2, 3.
• Anterior cingulate gyrus: involved in emotional processing and empathy 2, 3.
• Insular cortex: involved in emotional empathy 5.
• Right caudate body and right insula: activated during compassion meditation 3.
• Left midbrain and hypothalamus: activated during compassion meditation 3.

Meditation and Empathy

Meditation practices, such as LKM and CM, have been found to:

• Increase positive affect and decrease negative affect 2.
• Enhance activation of brain areas involved in emotional processing and empathy 2, 3.
• Improve cognitive empathy in patients with major depression and healthy controls 4.