title: A biological perspective on empathy.
abstract: During the evolution of the primate CNS, organization of neural activity has been shaped by the need for rapid and accurate evaluation of the motivations of others. Using a broad biological approach, the author considers empathy from evolutionary, ontogenetic, and neurophysiological viewpoints. Emotional communication follows a developmental course in primate evolution and in individuals: specialized neural activity and CNS organization subserve the interpretation of social signals. Neurophysiological studies now in progress may shed light on fundamental questions about the nature of empathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Sepulveda VA Medical Center, Calif.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brothers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D004645:Empathy / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D011574:Psychoanalytic Theory