Publication Package for Article 'I am happy for us: Neural processing of vicarious joy when winning for parents versus strangers'

This is the complete Publication Package for the Article: 'I am happy for us: Neural processing of vicarious joy when winning for parents versus strangers'.

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This study investigated the neural processes underlying vicarious joy and their dependence on emotional closeness. Prior studies revealed that the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) is a target brain region for processing rewards for self, but the neural mechanisms of processing rewards for others are not yet well understood. A functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm was employed in young adults (N = 30), in combination with a self-report questionnaire on the perceived emotional closeness to the target. We examined the neural correlates of vicarious rewards when winning money for oneself or one of three other targets. To examine family relationships, two of the targets were the mother and father of the participants, and the third target was an unknown stranger. We found an increase in activation in the NAcc when playing for family members compared with a stranger. We further observed a difference in neural activation when winning for the father compared with the mother in an extended network involving the medial prefrontal cortex and precuneus, brain regions involved in mentalizing. These findings were not related to reports of emotional closeness. This new paradigm has considerable value for future research into the fundamental neural processes underlying empathy and vicarious joy.

本项研究旨在探讨代际喜悦的神经机制及其对情感亲近度的依赖关系。既往研究表明，伏隔核（NAcc）是处理自我奖励的脑区目标，然而，对他人奖励的神经机制尚不明确。本研究采用功能性磁共振成像（fMRI）范式，针对年轻成年人（N = 30）进行实验，并结合针对目标情感亲近度的自我报告问卷。我们探究了在为自己或三个其他目标赢得金钱时，代际奖励的神经相关性。为考察家庭关系，其中两个目标为参与者的母亲和父亲，第三个目标为一位不知名的陌生人。我们发现，与陌生人相比，为家庭成员比赛时伏隔核的激活度有所增加。此外，在涉及内侧前额叶皮层和颞下皮层等在心理化过程中发挥作用的扩展网络中，当为父亲赢得比赛与为母亲赢得比赛时，观察到神经激活的差异。这些发现与情感亲近度的报告无关。这一新的范式对于未来研究基于同理心和代际喜悦的基本神经过程具有重大的研究价值。