What does this research mean for the field?

Patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) damage exhibit preserved empathy motivation, suggesting their real-world empathy deficits stem from impaired empathic ability rather than a lack of motivation. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To determine whether empathy deficits in patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) lesions stem from reduced empathy motivation.

September 5, 2026Social Cognitive and Affective NeuroscienceOpen Access

Is damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex associated with impaired empathy? A neuropsychological study using an empathy motivation task

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Authors

JSJulian A. Scheffer JRJustin Reber CCC Daryl Cameron

Discussion

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Overview

Lesion comparison study demonstrates preserved empathy motivation in patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex damage, suggesting social deficits stem from accuracy rather than drive.

Key Points

To determine whether empathy deficits in patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) lesions stem from reduced empathy motivation.
Conducted a neuropsychological lesion group comparison study using an empathy motivation task.
Compared individuals with vmPFC damage against control groups consisting of participants with brain damage outside the vmPFC and participants with no brain damage.
Damage to the vmPFC was not associated with reduced empathy motivation or increased avoidance of cognitive or affective empathy.
Patients with vmPFC damage demonstrated rates of empathy avoidance comparable to both brain-damaged and healthy control groups in an offline laboratory setting.

Cite This Study

Scheffer et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9bd48c6b95aff0620ec3aa https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsag072

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September 5, 2026Social Cognitive and Affective NeuroscienceOpen Access

Is damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex associated with impaired empathy? A neuropsychological study using an empathy motivation task

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

JSJulian A. Scheffer JRJustin Reber CCC Daryl Cameron

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Lesion comparison study demonstrates preserved empathy motivation in patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex damage, suggesting social deficits stem from accuracy rather than drive.

Key Points

To determine whether empathy deficits in patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) lesions stem from reduced empathy motivation.
Conducted a neuropsychological lesion group comparison study using an empathy motivation task.
Compared individuals with vmPFC damage against control groups consisting of participants with brain damage outside the vmPFC and participants with no brain damage.
Damage to the vmPFC was not associated with reduced empathy motivation or increased avoidance of cognitive or affective empathy.
Patients with vmPFC damage demonstrated rates of empathy avoidance comparable to both brain-damaged and healthy control groups in an offline laboratory setting.

Cite This Study

Scheffer et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9bd48c6b95aff0620ec3aa https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsag072

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