FeaturedNeuroscience·April 1, 2025·5 min readBrain Circuit for Vicarious Fear Reveals How We Feel Others’ PainScientists have uncovered a dedicated brain circuit that distinguishes between direct fear and fear learned by observing others—known as vicarious fear. The study shows that the right side of the brainstem’s locus coeruleus (LC) activates a specific pathway to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) during vicarious fear, while the left side processes direct fear.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·March 11, 2025·4 min readBrain Circuit Discovery Reveals How Empathy Shapes Our BehaviorResearchers have discovered how specific brain circuits process empathy, showing that witnessing others in pain activates the same neural pathways as experiencing pain directly. Using advanced imaging techniques, the study pinpointed neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) that respond both to personal distress and observed distress in others. The scientists further demonstrated that signals from the ACC to the brain’s periaqueductal gray (PAG) region are crucial for transforming empathy into behavioral responses, like freezing or avoidance.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·December 14, 2024·6 min readReading Strengthens Key Brain Regions for Language and EmpathyNew research reveals that brain structure varies with reading ability, particularly in the left hemisphere. Better readers have distinct traits, including a larger anterior temporal lobe for integrating word meaning and a thicker left Heschl’s gyrus for phonological processing.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·December 12, 2024·4 min readEmotional Memory Cells Driving Empathy DiscoveredResearchers have uncovered a brain mechanism in the prefrontal cortex that determines how animals respond to others’ emotions based on their own past experiences. These neurons, producing corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), act as emotional memories, modulating responses to socio-emotional stimuli.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeurosciencePsychology·December 3, 2024·3 min readEmpathy Loss in Dementia Linked to Brain Activity ChangesFrontotemporal dementia, affecting about 3% of dementia patients in Sweden, is characterized by a loss of empathy that challenges patients and their families. Using functional MRI, researchers found that patients showed no activation in brain networks associated with empathy when viewing distressing images, unlike healthy individuals.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·December 2, 2024·5 min readHow Alcohol Increases Pain Tolerance, and AggressionAlcohol not only raises pain tolerance but also amplifies aggression, according to a new study. Researchers found that participants who drank alcohol had higher pain thresholds and were more willing to inflict painful shocks on others.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·November 26, 2024·5 min readFeeling Beautiful Spurs Kindness and GenerosityA new study shows that enhancing one’s appearance, even virtually, increases prosocial behavior such as kindness and charitable giving. Participants who saw enhanced images of themselves were twice as likely to donate to charity compared to controls, suggesting that feeling attractive boosts social consciousness.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·November 11, 2024·7 min readEmotional Sensitivity Linked to Anxiety and Depression RisksA recent study reveals that seniors who are more susceptible to “emotional contagion”—feeling emotions from others—are significantly more likely to experience anxiety or depression. Researchers found that emotional sensitivity, when unmanaged, could increase the risk of psychological distress in seniors by up to tenfold. Emotional contagion, often triggered unconsciously, helps foster empathy but may strain mental health in communal living settings.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·October 22, 2024·6 min readWatching Docudramas Boosts EmpathyA new study shows that after watching a docudrama about a wrongfully convicted prisoner, participants became more empathetic toward formerly incarcerated individuals and more supportive of criminal justice reform. The research revealed that personal stories portrayed in media can shift attitudes, encouraging viewers to reconsider their perceptions of marginalized groups.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·October 17, 2024·6 min readPeople Empathize with Bullied AI BotsPeople empathize with AI bots excluded from a virtual game, treating them like social beings in need of fairness. Participants favored giving the AI bot a fair chance in play, with older adults showing a stronger inclination to rectify the perceived unfairness.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·September 29, 2024·4 min readWhat Makes Yawning Contagious?Yawning is a universal behavior observed in many species, but why do we tend to yawn when someone else does? While the idea that yawning increases brain oxygenation remains unproven, some evidence suggests it may be linked to circadian rhythms and attention regulation.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·September 9, 2024·4 min readNear Death Experiences May Strengthen Human InterconnectednessA new study shows that out-of-body experiences (OBEs), including near-death experiences, can dramatically increase empathy and transform how individuals connect with others. Researchers suggest this may result from "ego dissolution," where individuals lose their sense of self and feel deeply connected to the universe.Read More
