The emotional cost of caring: amygdala lesions reduce the aversiveness of affective empathy | Synapse
March 28, 2026
The emotional cost of caring: amygdala lesions reduce the aversiveness of affective empathy
Key Points
The aim is to explore the relationship between amygdala lesions and the emotional costs associated with affective empathy.
Analysis of findings from Scheffer et al.'s study on empathy and amygdala damage.
Comparison of emotional responses before and after amygdala lesions.
Lesions in the amygdala reduce the unpleasantness linked to experiencing affective empathy.
Surviving emotional motivations in empathy despite structural brain changes.
Abstract
This scientific commentary refers to ‘Empathy motivation is preserved following amygdala damage’ by Scheffer et al. (https://doi.org/10/1093/brain/awag074).