Empathy of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) toward other AD patients

ABSTRACT

Background

The objective of this study was twofold. We assessed whether individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) demonstrate higher empathy toward people with the same disorder. We also assessed whether empathy may enhance the recognition of these peoples’ faces.

Method

Twenty-seven mild AD participants and 30 healthy older adults were invited to retain faces depicting either people diagnosed with AD or healthy people. Participants were also invited to rate their empathy toward all faces.

Results

Although AD participants reported higher empathy for “AD-labeled” than for “healthy” faces, recognition was similar for both categories of faces. Healthy older adults also reported higher empathy for “AD-labeled” than for “healthy” faces. However, they demonstrated higher recognition for “healthy” than for “AD-labeled” faces.

Conclusions

Although our paper shows no effect of empathy on face recognition in AD, it provides a clinically relevant finding: individuals with mild AD can demonstrate significant empathy toward people with the same medical condition.

KEYWORDS:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• empathy
• face recognition
• memory
• own-group bias

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The study was supported by LABEX (excellence laboratory, program investment for the future) DISTALZ (Development of Innovative Strategies for a Transdisciplinary approach to Alzheimer’s disease).