Somatosensory mu activity reflects imagined pain intensity of others

In accordance with simulation theories of empathy, the somatosensory cortex is involved in the perception of pain of others. Cognitive processes, like perspective taking, can alter empathy-related activity within the somatosensory cortex. The current study investigates whether this modulation is caused by the imagined sensation of pain or by the cognitive load of a perspective-taking task. Applying a within-subject design, participants (N = 30)...