Abstract #1153

Waiter G, Williams J, Murray A, Whiten A, Perrett D

Effective processing of emotional signals is essential for human survival. However, the identification of facial emotion may be impaired in a number of psychopathological conditions associated with disruption to serotonergic function. The anterior cingulated is the region where attentional and emotional functions are integrated and it plays a major role in modulating emotional responses. During the reading of emotional expression, serotonergic manipulation reduces activity in brain structures that serve emotional processing activities. Empathic function is likely to be affected by serotonergic function, which may have implications for our understanding of autism, depression and other conditions where serotonergic function could be compromised.