Introducing the brain: area willing to help others (Introduction)

by David Turell , Monday, May 27, 2024, 20:19 (28 days ago) @ David Turell

A special frontal region:

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-05-brain-reveals.html

Our willingness to help others is governed by a specific brain region pinpointed by researchers in a study of patients with brain damage to that region.***

***

"In the study, the researchers focused on the vmPFC, a region located right at the front of the brain, which is known to be important for decision-making and other executive functions. Previous studies using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scanning) have linked the vmPFC to choices that involve a trade-off between the rewards available and the effort required to obtain rewards. However, these techniques cannot show whether a part of the brain is essential for these functions.

"Three groups of participants were recruited for the study. 25 patients had vmPFC damage, 15 patients had damage elsewhere in the brain, and 40 people were healthy age and gender-matched control participants. These groups allowed the researchers to test the impact of damage to vmPFC specifically.

***

"Each choice the participants made varied in how much bonus money for them or the other person was available, and how much force they would have to exert to obtain the reward. This allowed the researchers to measure the impact of reward and effort separately, and to use advanced mathematical modeling to precisely quantify people's motivation.

"The results of the study clearly showed that the vmPFC was necessary for motivation to help others. Patients with vmPFC damage were less willing to choose to help others, exerted less force even after they did decide to help, and earned less money to help others compared to the control groups.

"In a further step, the researchers used a technique called lesion symptom mapping which enabled them to identify even more specific subregions of the vmPFC where damage made people particularly antisocial and unwilling to exert effort for the other person. Surprisingly, damage to a nearby but different subregion made people relatively more willing to help.

***

"'This region of the brain is particularly interesting because we know that it undergoes late development in teenagers, and also changes as we get older," added Professor Lockwood. "It will be really interesting to see whether this area of the brain can also be influenced by education—can we learn to be better at helping others?'"

Comment: this study is straightforward enough. This is a taught behavior, and this is where it is settled. The final comment about teenagers is important to remember. They may look adult, but are not until age 25.