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New Brain Circuit Discovery Sheds Light on Fear and Empathy

4/1/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A groundbreaking discovery by researchers at the Institute for Basic Science has unveiled a brain circuit that distinguishes between direct and vicarious fear. This revelation activates the right locus coeruleus-anterior cingulate cortex pathway, deepening our understanding of empathy and paving the way for potential treatments for psychiatric disorders such as social anxiety and autism.

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Story summary

A groundbreaking discovery by researchers at the Institute for Basic Science has unveiled a brain circuit that distinguishes between direct and vicarious fear. This revelation activates the right locus coeruleus-anterior cingulate cortex pathway, deepening our understanding of empathy and paving the way for potential treatments for psychiatric disorders such as social anxiety and autism.