共情具有显著社会意义，共情神经环路研究是脑科学的热点。基于研究结果，我们提出了共情神经环路假设：杏仁核、vmPFC、前脑岛（AIC）等是共情神经环路关键脑区，AIC对来自于vmPFC的认知信息（top-down）和杏仁核的情绪信息（bottom-up）进行整合、反馈。现有fMRI的时空分辨有限，难以解析共情神经环路中关键脑区的精细划分以及top-down/bottom-up加工的时间进程。研究首先建立高时空分辨率fMRI方法，以自闭症作为疾病模型，揭示自闭症共情神经环路异常的时间空间特征；筛选风险基因，研究不同tagSNP基因型与其共情神经环路异常的相关；探究rTMS和催产素对自闭症共情神经环路的功能重塑机制。高时空分辨率fMRI方法为神经环路在时间进程、空间特征方面的研究提供了基础；从基因-脑-行为多层面研究自闭症的共情神经环路，全面揭示共情障碍的神经生物学机制，为其临床诊治提供依据。

Empathy has important implications for social survival. Neural circuit of empathy is always a focus of neuroscience. We hypothesized that the amygdala, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and anterior insular cortex (AIC) are the key areas in neural circuit of empathy, which involves two pathways, one top-down pathway (vmPFC-AIC) and the other bottom-up pathway (amygdala-AIC). AIC integrates the information of both pathways, and then feedbacks to vmPFC or amygdala. It is very difficult to define the neural circuit of empathy with the nowadays techniques of neuroimaging. The research will set up a new technique of fMRI with high temporal and spatial resolution, to define the hypothesized neural circuit of empathy and find the temporal and spatial changes of that circuit in autism and autistic trait. Based on the genetics findings in large samples of autism and autistic trait, we associate the tagSNP of susceptibility gene with the temporal and spatial changes of that circuit. The research also explores the neural circuit mechanism of the rTMS and oxytocin treatments for empathy deficit in autism. The high resolution fMRI would provide powerful technology to explore the temporal and spatial features of neural circuits. We aim to study the neural circuit of empathy in autism and its gene-brain-behavior linkages. The study would fully disclose the neurobiological mechanism of empathy deficit and provide evidences for clinical diagnosis and treatment.