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Brain Damage Study Reveals Part of the Brain Necessary for Helping Others

Colourful model of a brain encased in clear plastic model of skull installed on a stand, with blurred background
The discovery of the region associated with altruistic behaviour will help to better understand both social decision making, and also give further insights into brain injury.

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.

Learning about where in the brain “helping” decisions are made is important for understanding how people might be motivated to tackle large global challenges, such as climate change, infectious disease and international conflict. It is also essential for finding new approaches to treating disorders of social interactions.

The study, published in Nature Human Behaviour, was carried out by researchers at the University of Birmingham and the University of Oxfor...

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