Human fronto–mesolimbic networks guide decisions about charitable donation
Open accessAbstract
Humans often sacrifice material benefits to endorse or to oppose societal causes based on moral beliefs. Charitable donation behavior, which has been the target of recent experimental economics studies, is an outstanding contemporary manifestation of this ability. Yet the neural bases of this unique aspect of human altruism, which extends beyond interpersonal interactions, remain obscure. In this article, we use functional magnetic resonance imaging while participants anonymously donated to or opposed real charitable organizations related to major societal causes. We show that the mesolimbic reward system is engaged by donations in the same way as when monetary rewards are obtained. Furthermore, medial orbitofrontal–subgenual and lateral orbitofrontal areas, which also play key roles in more primitive mechanisms of social attachment and aversion, specifically mediate decisions to donate or to oppose societal causes. Remarkably, more anterior sectors of the prefrontal cortex are distinctively recruited when altruistic choices prevail over selfish material interests.
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Adolescents and adults show heightened activation in the ventral striatum to eudaimonic rewards, such as prosocial decisions to help family, friends, or charities.
“Adolescents and adults also show heightened activation in the ventral striatum to eudaimonic rewards, such as prosocial decisions to help family, friends, or charities (22–27).”
From Neural sensitivity to eudaimonic and hedonic rewards differentially predict adolescent depressive symptoms over time (2014) · cites this paper as [25]
Engaging in kind acts and savoring positive memories activate the striatum.
“For example, engaging in kind acts (charitable donation)(41) and savoring positive memories(42) activate the striatum.”
Several studies link activity in the striatum with giving behavior, suggesting that striatum activity signals the benefits of giving.
“Several studies link activity in the striatum with giving behavior, suggesting that striatum activity signals the benefits of giving 59–63.”
From The social brain and reward: Social information processing in the human striatum (2014) · cites this paper as [60]
Ventral and dorsal striatum appear to signal a vicarious reward when other parties (i.e., a charity or another person) receive rewards, regardless of whether any enhanced reputation can be gained.
“That is, ventral and dorsal striatum appear to signal a vicarious reward when other parties (i.e., a charity or another person) receive rewards, regardless of whether any enhanced reputation can be gained 60–63.”
From The social brain and reward: Social information processing in the human striatum (2014) · cites this paper as [60]
Engagement in prosocial behaviors activates high intensity, rewarding feelings that engage the dopaminergic reward system.
“Engagement in prosocial behaviors activates high intensity, rewarding feelings that engage the dopaminergic reward system. For instance, in adults, providing financial support to charities engages the ventral striatum (Moll et al., 2006, Harbaugh et al., 2007).”
From Dopaminergic reward sensitivity can promote adolescent health: a new perspective on the mechanism of ventral striatum activation (2016) · cites this paper as Moll et al., 2006
In adults, providing financial support to charities engages the ventral striatum.
“in adults, providing financial support to charities engages the ventral striatum (Moll et al., 2006, Harbaugh et al., 2007).”
From Dopaminergic reward sensitivity can promote adolescent health: a new perspective on the mechanism of ventral striatum activation (2016) · cites this paper as Moll et al., 2006
The engagement of ventral striatum by prosocial giving indicates a "warm glow" effect, suggesting that it feels good to be prosocial.
“This is thought to indicate a “warm glow” effect, suggesting that it feels good to be prosocial (Moll et al., 2006).”
From Dopaminergic reward sensitivity can promote adolescent health: a new perspective on the mechanism of ventral striatum activation (2016) · cites this paper as Moll et al., 2006
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Kuss, K., Falk, A., Trautner, P., Elger, C. E., Weber, B., & Fliessbach, K. (2013) · Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience · doi:10.1093/scan/nsr088 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
The neural basis of conceptual–emotional integration and its role in major depressive disorder
Green, S., Lambon Ralph, M. A., Moll, J., Zakrzewski, J., Deakin, J. F. W., Grafman, J., & Zahn, R. (2013) · Social Neuroscience · doi:10.1080/17470919.2013.810171 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Self-citationTrait empathy shapes neural responses toward sad music
Taruffi, L., Skouras, S., Pehrs, C., & Koelsch, S. (2021) · Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.3758/s13415-020-00861-x · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Understanding the Moderators of Physical and Emotional Pain: A Neural Systems-Based Approach
Eisenberger, N. (2008) · Psychological Inquiry · doi:10.1080/10478400802608855 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
(n.d.) · Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry / PsyPost · doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2026.111679
- Authors
- Moll, J., Krueger, F., Zahn, R., Pardini, M., de Oliveira-Souza, R., & Grafman, J.
- Affiliations
- National Institutes of Health (US)
- *Cognitive Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1440;
- Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience Unit, LABS–D’Or Hospital Network, 2228–080, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;
- Venue
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Published
- 2006-10-17
- Volume
- 103
- Issue
- 42
- Pages
- 15623-15628
- ISSN
- 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
- 1091-6490
- PMC
- PMC1622872
- OpenAlex
- W2123884941
- Semantic Scholar
- f21aa15480d4bc8247471047e66add1a67ab88a0
- Cited by
- 900
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 26 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 29 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 39 · 2021: 53 · 2020: 64 · 2019: 43 · 2018: 45 · 2017: 44 · 2016: 56 · 2015: 55 · 2014: 53 · 2013: 69 · 2012: 58
- FWCI
- 16.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- europepmc.org
- Locations
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (publishedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- CINECA IRIS Institutial Research Information System (University of Genoa) (submittedVersion)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Experimental Behavioral Economics Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Nonprofit Sector and Volunteering
- Keywords
- charitable giving, altruism, mesolimbic reward system, orbitofrontal cortex, prefrontal cortex, ethical decision-making, social attachment, social aversion, monetary rewards
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Altruism, Charities, Choice Behavior, Culture, Female, Frontal Lobe, Humans, Limbic System, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Nerve Net, Reward, Gift Giving
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
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