IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/nathum/v8y2024i7d10.1038_s41562-024-01899-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Human ventromedial prefrontal cortex is necessary for prosocial motivation

Author

Listed:
  • Patricia L. Lockwood

    (University of Birmingham
    University of Birmingham
    University of Oxford
    University of Oxford)

  • Jo Cutler

    (University of Birmingham
    University of Birmingham
    University of Oxford
    University of Oxford)

  • Daniel Drew

    (University of Oxford
    University of Oxford
    University of Oxford)

  • Ayat Abdurahman

    (University of Oxford
    University of Oxford
    University of Cambridge)

  • Deva Sanjeeva Jeyaretna

    (University of Oxford
    John Radcliffe Hospital)

  • Matthew A. J. Apps

    (University of Birmingham
    University of Birmingham
    University of Oxford
    University of Oxford)

  • Masud Husain

    (University of Oxford
    University of Oxford
    University of Oxford
    John Radcliffe Hospital)

  • Sanjay G. Manohar

    (University of Oxford
    University of Oxford
    John Radcliffe Hospital)

Abstract

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is vital for decision-making. Functional neuroimaging links vmPFC to processing rewards and effort, while parallel work suggests vmPFC involvement in prosocial behaviour. However, the necessity of vmPFC for these functions is unknown. Patients with rare focal vmPFC lesions (n = 25), patients with lesions elsewhere (n = 15) and healthy controls (n = 40) chose between rest and exerting effort to earn rewards for themselves or another person. vmPFC damage decreased prosociality across behavioural and computational measures. vmPFC patients earned less, discounted rewards by effort more, and exerted less force when another person benefited, compared to both control groups. Voxel-based lesion mapping revealed dissociations between vmPFC subregions. While medial damage led to antisocial behaviour, lateral damage increased prosocial behaviour relative to patients with damage elsewhere. vmPFC patients also showed reduced effort sensitivity overall, but reward sensitivity was limited to specific subregions. These results reveal multiple causal contributions of vmPFC to prosocial behaviour, effort and reward.

Suggested Citation

  • Patricia L. Lockwood & Jo Cutler & Daniel Drew & Ayat Abdurahman & Deva Sanjeeva Jeyaretna & Matthew A. J. Apps & Masud Husain & Sanjay G. Manohar, 2024. "Human ventromedial prefrontal cortex is necessary for prosocial motivation," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 8(7), pages 1403-1416, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:8:y:2024:i:7:d:10.1038_s41562-024-01899-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01899-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-01899-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41562-024-01899-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bates, Douglas & Mächler, Martin & Bolker, Ben & Walker, Steve, 2015. "Fitting Linear Mixed-Effects Models Using lme4," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 67(i01).
    2. Marco K. Wittmann & Elsa Fouragnan & Davide Folloni & Miriam C. Klein-Flügge & Bolton K. H. Chau & Mehdi Khamassi & Matthew F. S. Rushworth, 2020. "Global reward state affects learning and activity in raphe nucleus and anterior insula in monkeys," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-17, December.
    3. Patricia L. Lockwood & Marco K. Wittmann & Matthew A. J. Apps & Miriam C. Klein-Flügge & Molly J. Crockett & Glyn W. Humphreys & Matthew F. S. Rushworth, 2018. "Neural mechanisms for learning self and other ownership," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Kosse, Fabian & Tincani, Michaela M., 2020. "Prosociality predicts labor market success around the world," Munich Reprints in Economics 75115, University of Munich, Department of Economics.
    5. Fabian Kosse & Michela M. Tincani, 2020. "Prosociality predicts labor market success around the world," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-6, December.
    6. Sébastien Ballesta & Weikang Shi & Katherine E. Conen & Camillo Padoa-Schioppa, 2020. "Values encoded in orbitofrontal cortex are causally related to economic choices," Nature, Nature, vol. 588(7838), pages 450-453, December.
    7. Ernst Fehr & Urs Fischbacher, 2003. "The nature of human altruism," Nature, Nature, vol. 425(6960), pages 785-791, October.
    8. Yuen-Siang Ang & Patricia Lockwood & Matthew A J Apps & Kinan Muhammed & Masud Husain, 2017. "Distinct Subtypes of Apathy Revealed by the Apathy Motivation Index," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, January.
    9. Jo Cutler & Marco K. Wittmann & Ayat Abdurahman & Luca D. Hargitai & Daniel Drew & Masud Husain & Patricia L. Lockwood, 2021. "Ageing is associated with disrupted reinforcement learning whilst learning to help others is preserved," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, December.
    10. Michael Koenigs & Liane Young & Ralph Adolphs & Daniel Tranel & Fiery Cushman & Marc Hauser & Antonio Damasio, 2007. "Damage to the prefrontal cortex increases utilitarian moral judgements," Nature, Nature, vol. 446(7138), pages 908-911, April.
    11. Patricia L. Lockwood & Mathilde Hamonet & Samuel H. Zhang & Anya Ratnavel & Florentine U. Salmony & Masud Husain & Matthew A. J. Apps, 2017. "Prosocial apathy for helping others when effort is required," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 1(7), pages 1-10, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fang, Ximeng & Freyer, Timo & Ho, Chui-Yee & Chen, Zihua & Goette, Lorenz, 2022. "Prosociality predicts individual behavior and collective outcomes in the COVID-19 pandemic," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 308(C).
    2. Breitkopf, Laura & Chowdhury, Shyamal & Priyam, Shambhavi & Schildberg-Hörisch, Hannah & Sutter, Matthias, 2024. "Do Economic Preferences of Children Predict Behavior?," IZA Discussion Papers 16834, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Laura Breitkopf & Shyamal Chowdhury & Shambhavi Priyam & Hannah Schildberg-Hörisch & Matthias Sutter, 2024. "Do economic preferences of children predict behavior?," Discussion Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods 2024_09, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods.
    4. Bietenbeck, Jan & Sunde, Uwe & Thiemann, Petra, 2023. "Recession Experiences during Early Adulthood Shape Prosocial Attitudes Later in Life," IZA Discussion Papers 16490, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Bhargava, Palaash & Chen, Daniel L. & Sutter, Matthias & Terrier, Camille, 2022. "Homophily and Transmission of Behavioral Traits in Social Networks," IZA Discussion Papers 15840, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. repec:hal:journl:hal-04679593 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Maria Bigoni & Stefania Bortolotti & Veronica Rattini, 2022. "A tale of two cities: an experiment on inequality and preferences," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 92(1), pages 189-222, February.
    8. Vojtěch Bartoš & Ian Levely & Vojtech Bartos, 2023. "Measuring Social Preferences in Developing Economies," CESifo Working Paper Series 10744, CESifo.
    9. Yunsen Li & Yunlu Li & Gang Chen & Jing Yang, 2024. "Being an only child and children’s prosocial behaviors: evidence from rural China and the role of parenting styles," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.
    10. Mark Gradstein, 2022. "Cultural Attributes, Income Inequality, and Ethnic Differentials," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 44, pages 91-103, April.
    11. Ruth Pauli & Inti A. Brazil & Gregor Kohls & Miriam C. Klein-Flügge & Jack C. Rogers & Dimitris Dikeos & Roberta Dochnal & Graeme Fairchild & Aranzazu Fernández-Rivas & Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann & Amaia, 2023. "Action initiation and punishment learning differ from childhood to adolescence while reward learning remains stable," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    12. Laura Alfaro & Ester Faia & Nora Lamersdorf & Farzad Saidi, 2022. "Health Externalities and Policy: The Role of Social Preferences," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(9), pages 6751-6761, September.
    13. Greta Morando & Lucinda Platt, 2022. "The Impact of Centre‐based Childcare on Non‐cognitive Skills of Young Children," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 89(356), pages 908-946, October.
    14. Mayer, Maximilian, 2023. "Climate change concerns and information spillovers from socially-connected friends," IWH Discussion Papers 2/2023, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    15. Kosse, Fabian & Rajan, Ranjita & Tincani, Michela M., 2023. "The Persistent Effect of Competition on Prosociality," IZA Discussion Papers 16595, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. Nir Moneta & Mona M. Garvert & Hauke R. Heekeren & Nicolas W. Schuck, 2023. "Task state representations in vmPFC mediate relevant and irrelevant value signals and their behavioral influence," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-21, December.
    17. Fabian Kosse & Ranjita Rajan & Michela Tincani, 2023. "The Persistent Effect of Competition on Prosociality," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 449, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
    18. Xhiselda Demaj, 2024. "Expanding Benefits: The Impact of a Universal Free School Meal Policy on Non-Cognitive Skills," Working Papers 2024: 11, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari".
    19. Gortazar, Lucas & Hupkau, Claudia & Roldán-Monés, Antonio, 2024. "Online tutoring works: Experimental evidence from a program with vulnerable children," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    20. Fabian Kosse & Ranjita Rajan & Michela Tincani & Michela Maria Tincani, 2023. "The Persistent Effect of Competition on Prosociality," CESifo Working Paper Series 10779, CESifo.
    21. Laura Breitkopf & Shyamal Chowdhury & Shambhavi Priyam & Hannah Schildberg-Hörisch & Matthias Sutter, 2024. "Do Economic Preferences of Children Predict Behavior?," CESifo Working Paper Series 10988, CESifo.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:8:y:2024:i:7:d:10.1038_s41562-024-01899-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.