Cell Sub-Journal: It turns out that there is also a "helpful" brain area!

Scientists at the University of Birmingham and the University of Oxford have identified an area

The study, published in the journal Biology Contemporary, shows that the altruistic behavior of effort — the choices people make to help others — occurs in different parts of the brain than the parts of the brain used to make choices that are demanding of the body to help

A more accurate understanding of what happens to the brain when these decisions are made could help clinicians develop treatments for

This area is called anterior cingulate gyrus (ACCg) and is located in the front part of the

Dr Patricia Lockwood, lead author of the paper, said: "From opening doors for charities to volunteering, we often have to decide whether we are willing to put in the effort to help others, but the brain mechanisms behind these behaviors remain elusive

For the study, the researchers studied

Participants make decisions

If they choose the work option, they have to squeeze a device that measures

By using a new statistical technique to analyze the data, the researchers were able to identify patterns in the brain to show how much effort they were willing to put in

The team's next step will be to investigate the efforts of those whose area was damaged by a stroke or other brain injury to help with what changed behavior

This work was supported by Research and Innovation UK, wellcome Trust and the Royal Society, as well as from Christ Church, oxford university and jacobs foundation

Article title

Distinct neural representations for prosocial and self-benefitting effort