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The Neuroscience of Empathy: What We Know.
Empathy is a fundamental human ability that allows individuals to understand, share, and respond to the emotions of others. Neuroscientific research has significantly advanced our understanding of how empathy operates in the brain, showing that it involves an intricate network of neural circuits, neurotransmitters, and hormonal influences (Singer & Lamm, 2009). Through neuroimaging, lesion studies, and behavioral experiments, researchers have discovered that empathy is not a singular process but rather an integration of affective, cognitive, and sensorimotor mechanisms (Decety & Jackson, 2004).
One of the most well-studied aspects of empathy is the role of mirror neurons, which fire both when an individual performs an action and when they observe someone else performing the same action (Rizzolatti & Sinigaglia, 2010). These neurons, located primarily in the premotor cortex and inferior parietal lobule, provide a neural basis for emotional contagion, where people involuntarily “catch” the emotions of others (Iacoboni, 2009). Studies using functional MRI (fMRI) have shown that when participants observe facial expressions of pain or joy, their mirror neuron systems activate similarly to when they experience these emotions themselves (Keysers & Gazzola, 2006).
Beyond mirror neurons, empathy involves a network of brain regions, including the anterior…
