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Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Published in: Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Facial Palsy | Research

Children with facial paralysis due to Moebius syndrome exhibit reduced autonomic modulation during emotion processing

Authors: Elisa De Stefani, Martina Ardizzi, Ylenia Nicolini, Mauro Belluardo, Anna Barbot, Chiara Bertolini, Gioacchino Garofalo, Bernardo Bianchi, Gino Coudé, Lynne Murray, Pier Francesco Ferrari

Published in: Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

Facial mimicry is crucial in the recognition of others’ emotional state. Thus, the observation of others’ facial expressions activates the same neural representation of that affective state in the observer, along with related autonomic and somatic responses. What happens, therefore, when someone cannot mimic others’ facial expressions?

Methods

We investigated whether psychophysiological emotional responses to others’ facial expressions were impaired in 13 children (9 years) with Moebius syndrome (MBS), an extremely rare neurological disorder (1/250,000 live births) characterized by congenital facial paralysis. We inspected autonomic responses and vagal regulation through facial cutaneous thermal variations and by the computation of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). These parameters provide measures of emotional arousal and show the autonomic adaptation to others’ social cues. Physiological responses in children with MBS were recorded during dynamic facial expression observation and were compared to those of a control group (16 non-affected children, 9 years).

Results

There were significant group effects on thermal patterns and RSA, with lower values in children with MBS. We also observed a mild deficit in emotion recognition in these patients.

Conclusion

Results support “embodied” theory, whereby the congenital inability to produce facial expressions induces alterations in the processing of facial expression of emotions. Such alterations may constitute a risk for emotion dysregulation.
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Metadata
Title
Children with facial paralysis due to Moebius syndrome exhibit reduced autonomic modulation during emotion processing
Authors
Elisa De Stefani
Martina Ardizzi
Ylenia Nicolini
Mauro Belluardo
Anna Barbot
Chiara Bertolini
Gioacchino Garofalo
Bernardo Bianchi
Gino Coudé
Lynne Murray
Pier Francesco Ferrari
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keyword
Facial Palsy
Published in
Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders / Issue 1/2019
Print ISSN: 1866-1947
Electronic ISSN: 1866-1955
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-019-9272-2

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