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How brain damage affects our willingness to help others

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Damage to a specific part of the brain in the frontal cortex reveals its necessity in effortful actions that help other people. These findings could have implications for understanding and treating disorders of social behaviour.

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Fig. 1: Damage to the vmPFC reduces the willingness to exert effort to help others.

References

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This is a summary of: Lockwood, P. L. et al. Human ventromedial prefrontal cortex is necessary for prosocial motivation. Nat. Hum. Behav., https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-01899-4 (2024).

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How brain damage affects our willingness to help others. Nat Hum Behav (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-01900-0

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