Our brain can be initially tuned to altruism.

Neurobiologists have established a link between the structure of various parts of the brain and such properties of human behavior as altruism and the ability to empathize. Two separate studies were conducted by specialists at the University of California (UCLA).

In the first study, the results of which were published in the journal Human Brain Mapping, 20 subjects were tested for empathy by showing them a video in which a person’s hand is prickled with a pin, and then asking to simulate the emotions presented in photographs of various people.

The brain of the subjects was scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Brain areas such as the amygdala, the somatosensory cortex and the isle of Reil were studied. These regions are associated with the processing of emotions, including the ability to imitate.

In the second part of the first study, the subjects played a “ dictator ” - a well-known game that economists and psychologists use to research decision-making methods. In the course of the game, people should give a part of the money they received, and leave the other part to themselves.
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The people with the most active prefrontal cortex were the most stingy, sharing a minimal part of the money they received. The subjects, who showed the greatest activity in the regions of the brain associated with the manifestations of emotions and imitations of others, parted with the money more generously.

Experts call this generosity "pro-social resonance" and directly associate it with altruism. The better people are able to show empathy and sympathize with others, the easier it is for them to deal with others as they do with themselves.

The second study was to answer the question whether the prefrontal cortex blocks these altruistic impulses. To this end, subjects using a non-invasive magnetic stimulation technique temporarily muffled the activity of brain regions blocking various impulses that affect behavior.

According to the authors of the study, if people were originally egoists, blocking these parts of the brain would allow their egoistic impulses to manifest themselves more strongly. In fact, the people who have undergone such processing, on average, gave one and a half times more than before.

From the results of experiments, scientists conclude that people are initially focused on altruism and mutual assistance. In addition to obtaining the technical ability to control people's behavior through non-invasive effects on the brain, specialists hope to develop new therapies for people who, as a result of circumstances, have changed their behavior to less social.

Many scientists are trying to link the parameters of a person's personality with his connection - a complete description of the structure of connections in the nervous system of the body. The term was proposed by scientists in 2005. One of the hypotheses says that the connections between neurons contain many aspects of human individuality, personality and intellect - therefore, the description of a human connection can be a big step towards understanding many mental processes.