What motivates us to help others? Key brain region identified • Earth.com

A team of researchers recently identified a specific brain region, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), that governs our willingness to help others, based on a study of patients with brain damage in this region. The study was carried out by experts from the University of Birmingham and the University of Oxford.

“Prosocial behaviors are essential to addressing global challenges,” said lead author Patricia Lockwood, professor of decision neuroscience at Birmingham. “Yet helping others often requires effort, and humans are reluctant to put in effort. Understanding how helping decisions are processed in the brain is extremely important.

The vmPFC, located at the front of the brain, is crucial for decision-making and other executive functions. Previous studies linked the vmPFC to decisions involving a trade-off between rewards and required effort, but these studies could not confirm whether this part of the brain is essential for these functions.

The brain's motivation to help others

The experts recruited three groups of participants: 25 patients with vmPFC lesions, 15 patients with lesions elsewhere in the brain, and 40 healthy control participants, matched for age and sex.

The experiment involved a decision-making task in which participants met another person anonymously and decided how much physical effort (by squeezing a grip strength device) to exert to earn rewards for themselves and for the other person.

The results demonstrated that the vmPFC is necessary for motivation to help others. Patients with vmPFC lesions were less willing to help, exerted less force even when they chose to help, and earned less money for helping others than control groups.

Using lesion symptom mapping, the researchers identified specific subregions of the vmPFC where damage made people particularly antisocial and unwilling to help, while damage to a neighboring subregion made people relatively more willing to help.

Wider implications of the study

“In addition to better understanding prosocial motivation, this study could also help us develop new treatments for clinical disorders such as psychopathy, where understanding the underlying neural mechanisms can give us new insights into how to treat these conditions,” said co-author Jo. Cutter, postdoctoral researcher in the neuroscience of social decision-making at the same university.

“This region of the brain is particularly interesting because we know that it undergoes late development in adolescents and also changes as we age,” Lockwood said.

“It will be really interesting to see if this area of ​​the brain can also be influenced by education: can we learn to help others better? »

Mental Health Benefits of Helping Others

Helping others can significantly improve mental health in several ways. Engaging in acts of kindness and support can lead to a deeper sense of satisfaction and purpose in life.

When you help someone, your brain releases endorphins, often called the “helping effect,” which can improve your mood and reduce stress.

Additionally, helping others can help foster social connections, making you feel less isolated and more connected to a community. This sense of belonging can be crucial for emotional well-being.

Additionally, when you focus on someone else's needs, it can offer a new perspective on your own challenges, often making them more manageable.

Being helpful and kind can boost your self-esteem and self-esteem because you see yourself as a positive force in someone's life. The combination of these factors can lead to significant improvements in overall mental health.

Interesting Facts About Prosocial Behavior

Research suggests that there is a biological basis for prosocial behavior. For example, the hormone oxytocin is linked to social bonding and increases trust and generosity in humans.

Cultural norms

Prosocial behaviors are influenced by cultural norms and values. For example, some cultures emphasize community values ​​more than others, which can lead to higher rates of altruistic behaviors.

Toddlers help others

Prosocial behavior develops in infancy and can be observed in early childhood. Toddlers often begin to show concern for others in distress and try to comfort them in simple ways.

Empathy

Empathy is a powerful predictor of prosocial behavior. Individuals who are able to empathize with others are more likely to engage in actions that benefit others.

Influential factors

Situational factors can greatly influence prosocial behavior. People are more likely to help others when they are not in a hurry, when they are in a good mood, and when they have just seen someone else help them.

The study is published in the journal Human behavior.

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