Neural defensive circuits underlie helping under threat in humans
Empathy for others’ distress has long been considered the driving force of helping. However, when deciding to help others in danger, one must consider not only their distress, but also the risk to oneself. Whereas the role of self-defense in helping has been overlooked in human research, studies in...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2022-10-01
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| Series: | eLife |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/78162 |
| _version_ | 1811234526648598528 |
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| author | Joana B Vieira Andreas Olsson |
| author_facet | Joana B Vieira Andreas Olsson |
| author_sort | Joana B Vieira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Empathy for others’ distress has long been considered the driving force of helping. However, when deciding to help others in danger, one must consider not only their distress, but also the risk to oneself. Whereas the role of self-defense in helping has been overlooked in human research, studies in other animals indicate defensive responses are necessary for the protection of conspecifics. In this pre-registered study (N=49), we demonstrate that human defensive neural circuits are implicated in helping others under threat. Participants underwent fMRI scanning while deciding whether to help another participant avoid aversive electrical shocks, at the risk of also being shocked. We found that higher engagement of neural circuits that coordinate fast escape from self-directed danger (including the insula, PAG, and ACC) facilitated decisions to help others. Importantly, using representational similarity analysis, we found that the strength with which the amygdala and insula uniquely represented the threat to oneself (and not the other’s distress) predicted helping. Our findings indicate that in humans, as other mammals, defensive mechanisms play a greater role in helping behavior than previously understood. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:37:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9e8f75171af846159fe6acf81c1597c5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:37:49Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj.art-9e8f75171af846159fe6acf81c1597c52022-12-22T03:34:46ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2022-10-011110.7554/eLife.78162Neural defensive circuits underlie helping under threat in humansJoana B Vieira0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7335-4588Andreas Olsson1Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SwedenDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SwedenEmpathy for others’ distress has long been considered the driving force of helping. However, when deciding to help others in danger, one must consider not only their distress, but also the risk to oneself. Whereas the role of self-defense in helping has been overlooked in human research, studies in other animals indicate defensive responses are necessary for the protection of conspecifics. In this pre-registered study (N=49), we demonstrate that human defensive neural circuits are implicated in helping others under threat. Participants underwent fMRI scanning while deciding whether to help another participant avoid aversive electrical shocks, at the risk of also being shocked. We found that higher engagement of neural circuits that coordinate fast escape from self-directed danger (including the insula, PAG, and ACC) facilitated decisions to help others. Importantly, using representational similarity analysis, we found that the strength with which the amygdala and insula uniquely represented the threat to oneself (and not the other’s distress) predicted helping. Our findings indicate that in humans, as other mammals, defensive mechanisms play a greater role in helping behavior than previously understood.https://elifesciences.org/articles/78162FearaltruismBrain |
| spellingShingle | Joana B Vieira Andreas Olsson Neural defensive circuits underlie helping under threat in humans eLife Fear altruism Brain |
| title | Neural defensive circuits underlie helping under threat in humans |
| title_full | Neural defensive circuits underlie helping under threat in humans |
| title_fullStr | Neural defensive circuits underlie helping under threat in humans |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neural defensive circuits underlie helping under threat in humans |
| title_short | Neural defensive circuits underlie helping under threat in humans |
| title_sort | neural defensive circuits underlie helping under threat in humans |
| topic | Fear altruism Brain |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/78162 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT joanabvieira neuraldefensivecircuitsunderliehelpingunderthreatinhumans AT andreasolsson neuraldefensivecircuitsunderliehelpingunderthreatinhumans |