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.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 digital issues and online access to articles
$119.00 per year
only $9.92 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1038%2Fs41562-024-01900-0/MediaObjects/41562_2024_1900_Fig1_HTML.png)
References
Kubzansky, L. D., Epel, E. S. & Davidson, R. J. Prosociality should be a public health priority. Nat Hum. Behav 7, 2051–2053 (2023). A comment that highlights the importance of studying prosocial behaviours for public health.
Contreras-Huerta, L. S., Pisauro, M. A. & Apps, M. A. J. Effort shapes social cognition and behaviour: a neuro-cognitive framework. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 118, 426–439 (2020). A review that discusses the importance of effort in social cognition.
Cutler, J. & Campbell-Meiklejohn, D. A comparative fMRI meta-analysis of altruistic and strategic decisions to give. NeuroImage 184, 227–241 (2019). An fMRI meta-analysis that shows the vmPFC is involved in prosocial behaviours.
Lopez-Gamundi, P. et al. The neural basis of effort valuation: a meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 131, 1275–1287 (2021). An fMRI meta-analysis that highlights the importance of the vmPFC in effort processing.
Joutsa, J., Corp, D. T. & Fox, M. D. Lesion network mapping for symptom localization: recent developments and future directions. Curr. Opin Neurol. 35, 453–459 (2022). A review that outlines the benefits of lesion symptom mapping as a technique.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
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).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
How brain damage affects our willingness to help others. Nat Hum Behav (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-01900-0
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-01900-0