EMPASI study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring empathy and social interaction in Alzheimer's dementia
IRAS ID
366006
Contact name
Puyu Shi
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106/2026/02/128 health research, UCL Data Protection Number
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Background
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia impacts social cognition, the brain’s ability to navigate social interactions and maintain relationships. A meta-analysis we conducted found that, while some other social cognitive abilities decline in AD, empathy (the ability to understand and share others' feelings) appears preserved.Empathy is a complex yet fundamental cognitive ability, and has a vital role in maintaining human relationships and motivating prosocial behaviours. However, our understanding of empathy preservation in AD, especially its underlying brain mechanisms, is preliminary. Previous studies measuring empathy relied on potentially biased carer reports. Traditional neuroimaging methods require people to lie still in a scanner and may not capture the dynamic, context-dependent nature of empathy in real-life interactions.
This project will address these research gaps by studying empathy in people with AD in a more naturalistic way. We will recruit people with mild AD and their family informants to investigate the neural correlates of empathy using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a portable, non-invasive technique that measures brain activity and can be used during real social interaction.
Objectives
1. What are the brain changes linked with empathy in people with AD?
2. Is there coordinated neural activity between two interacting individuals (neural synchrony) when people with AD and their family informants converse about shared experiences.Methods
Eligible participants will take part as a dyad (a person with mild AD and their family informant). The study will involve one lab testing session at UCL. With the fNIRS cap fitted, participants will first complete a computerised empathy task individually, and then engage in a real-life conversation with each other.
This method will allow us to better understand the neural mechanisms underlying how people with AD empathise with others and coordinate social interactions, and to what extent it is preserved in people with AD.REC name
East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/EM/0109
Date of REC Opinion
15 May 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion