How human personality is due to brain structure

Altruism or selfishness in humans may stem from the difference in our brain structure, according to a new US study.

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US scientists revealed that they promoted their research thanks to the story of a man called Harold Mintz who donated an anonymous, free kidney to a stranger 10 years ago. . According to the head of the research, Abigail Marsh professor from Georgetown University (USA), this action is a sign of kindness and "unusual" kindness .

Professor Marsh and colleagues now discover that Mr. Mintz's brain structure, rather than experience, played a key role in this decision.

The area of ​​the amygdala, the brain region is associated with emotions, in altruistic people the volume is larger and the level of activity is more active than the others when observing the expression of suffering.(Artwork: Alamy)

To test his hypothesis, Professor Marsh and colleagues conducted brain scans of 19 altruistic kidney donors, collectively called altruistic groups. The team used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to record the neurological activity of kidney donors as well as those of 20 other people who never donated any organs, collectively referred to as the screening, when observing faces that show pain, anger or normal.

"Results of brain scanning and revealing behavior, donors have some differences in brain structure and function, which may make them more sensitive, on average, to the suffering of others, " Professor Marsh said.

In particular, in the right almond region - the brain region is involved in emotions, altruistic people show more active brain activity than the comparison group when witnessing painful expressions. When asked to identify expressions on each face photograph, they also identify feelings of suffering that are relatively more accurate than those of the comparison group.

In addition, according to the results of the brain scan, the amygdala region must be in the altruistic people also have a larger volume in the rest of the group.

Professor Marsh's new findings are consistent with her previous research, which also found that differences in structure and brain function seem to make unstable neurons less sensitive to fear. and suffering of others. These differences include smaller areas of amygdala and fewer responses to grief manifestations.

Ms Marsh concludes that other altruistic people can often be opposite to unstable neurons in some ways.

The title has been changed.