“The Science of Grandparent Brains: Emotional Empathy and Evolutionary Advantages”

2023-05-19 09:10:54

Neuroscientific research on the brain system of grandparents reveals interesting insights into how grandmothers’ brains respond. These studies show that a simple look at photos of their grandchildren can affect these seniors. Details.

The Incredible Power of Emotional Empathy

A study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B ” in 2021 reveals a neurological overview of one true intergenerational bond between grandparents and their grandchildren. For the first time, researchers have demonstrated the impact on the brains of these seniors of the time they spend view the pictures of their grandchildren.

To do this, scientists scanned the grandmothers brain watching pictures of their young proteges. According to James Rillingthe principal investigator of the study, brain regions associated withemotional empathy were activated in grandmothers.

In other words, this implies that they seek to feel the same emotions than their grandchildren. This therefore suggests the establishment of a some emotional connection particularly fort between the two generations.

Emotional differences between grandchildren and adult children

The same study also showed that adult children do not cause same emotions. These seem to activate different parts of the brain. The grandchildren, arouse the area of ​​the brain related to theemotional empathy while adult children rather mobilize theempathie cognitive.

To be more precise, older offspring therefore act on the part responsible for the ability to understand thoughts and the people’s emotionss. This one is at a rational level rather than emotional.

James Rilling explains this difference in emotional response by the fact that children have the characteristics that can manipulate not only the maternal brainbut also the grandma brain. L’physical appearance for example, encourages a protective reaction at the grandparents.

Grandmothers bestow evolutionary advantages on their grandchildren

This study also highlighted interest that grandmothers present for their offspring. After their childbearing age, women take more care of their offspring. They ensure the survivalthe welfare and the development of their children and grandchildren.

According to the researchers, this phenomenon constitutes a neurological factor explaining the women’s longevity. This is demonstrated in particular by the theory of “The Grandmother’s Hypothesis”.

A study on the Hadza people in Tanzania also confirmed theinfluence of aid grandmothers on improving thenutritional status of their grandchildren. In addition, other studies carried out within the traditional societies argue that the active involvement of grandmothers would enable mothers tohave more children.

A parental care system in the brain

THE study authorsand consider that the emotional neurology could have implications in theevolution of human brains. There seems to be a parental care system in the brain, justifying the role of grandparents. To test their hypothesis, 50 grandmothers in good health were selected for the experiment.

These seniors then moved on to a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The goal being to measure their brain function through the viewing of photos of their grandchildrenbut also unknown children. At the same time, they filled out forms providing data on their experiences as grandmothers.

The results obtained lead the researchers to conclude the presence of a neural activity system corresponding to the child care. This brain activity, present in both parents and grandparents, plays an important role in the brain.

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