The number of social connections of an individual monkey can predict the size of its brain areas associated with social decision-making and empathy, according to a new study.
The research, published on Wednesday in the journal Science Advances, found that for macaques with more grooming partners, key nodes in their brain’s mid-superior temporal sulcus (STS) and ventral-dysgranular insula grew larger. These are areas thought to play a part in social decision-making and empathy.
