Sleep deprivation and intrinsic brain connectivity – a near-systematic review

An informal review of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of intrinsic connectivity after sleep deprivation in humans. Originally published as a blog post

Interactive classroom memory tests using online tools

<p>Preprint describing two interactive memory tests for use in class in the teaching of neuroscience. The manuscript was submitted to the Really Good Stuff section of the Medical Education journal, but not accepted for publication. Code is available in the Zenodo reference below.</p

A stimulus set for empathy for pain

This is a set of stimuli for empathy for pain experiments. The stimulus set consists of images of hands being stung with needles or poked with Q-tips. <div><br></div><div>These stimuli were developed by Claus Lamm and colleagues. If you wish to re-use the stimuli, please contact Claus Lamm at [email protected].</div

Dissection manual for porcine heart

Dissection manual for porcine heart. Text by Gustav Nilsonne, photos by Lotta Arborelius

Handledning för dissektion av svinhjärta

Handledning för dissektion av svinhjärta. Text av Gustav Nilsonne, foto av Lotta Arborelius

Effects of 25 mg oxazepam on emotional mimicry and empathy for pain: a randomized controlled experiment

<p><strong>Abstract</strong><br>Emotional mimicry and empathy are mechanisms underlying social interaction. Benzodiazepines have been proposed to inhibit empathy and promote antisocial behaviour. We aimed to investigate effects of oxazepam on emotional mimicry and empathy for pain, and secondarily to investigate the association of personality traits to emotional mimicry and empathy. Participants (<i>n</i> = 76) were randomised to 25 mg oxazepam or placebo. Emotional mimicry was examined using video clips with emotional expressions. Empathy was investigated by pain stimulating the participant and a confederate. We recorded self-rated experience, activity in major zygomatic and superciliary corrugator muscles, skin conductance, and heart rate. In the mimicry experiment, oxazepam inhibited corrugator activity. In the empathy experiment, oxazepam caused increased self-rated unpleasantness and skin conductance. However, oxazepam did not specifically inhibit emotional mimicry nor empathy for pain. Responses in both experiments were associated to self-rated empathic, psychopathic, and alexithymic traits. The present results do not support a specific effect of 25 mg oxazepam on emotional mimicry or empathy.</p