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How Empathy Works in the Brain

Posted

December 1, 2025

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Neil deGrasse Tyson and neuroscientist Ben Rein explore how empathy works in the brain — centered on the prefrontal cortex and emotional regulation — and why it exists in a “Goldilocks zone”: enough to drive compassion but not so much that it becomes paralyzing. They also discuss how empathy can weaken through social media detachment, in-group bias, propaganda, and even common drugs like acetaminophen or alcohol that blunt emotional response.

From 'What Loneliness Does To Your Brain, with Ben Rein'

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How Empathy Works in the Brain · Startalk Plus · Sentinel