Empathy and prosocial behavior powered by orexin-driven theta oscillations - PubMed
2 days ago
- #prosocial behavior
- #neuroscience
- #empathy
- Empathy and prosocial behavior in rodents are linked to theta oscillations in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC).
- Orexinergic neurons in the ACC are activated during observational fear and prosocial allogrooming, but only in animals with prior fear experience.
- Optogenetic inhibition of orexinergic inputs to the ACC reduces theta power and decreases observational fear and prosocial behaviors.
- Hypothalamic orexinergic inputs drive ACC theta oscillations, modulating empathy-related behaviors and translating affective empathy into prosocial actions.