Decoding the altruistic brain: An ALE meta-analysis of the functional localization of giving behaviors

Neuroimaging studies on prosocial decision-making frequently employ a costly giving paradigm, whereas there is a lack of consensus on the broader differences underlying various altruistic giving tasks. This study explores the neural substrates of altruistic giving through an ALE meta-analysis of 65 fMRI studies with 2803 participants. Altruistic giving tasks were categorized into Dictator Game (DG), Charitable Donation (CD), and Pain versus Gain (PvsG). The meta-analysis identified consistent activation in core brain regions, including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and insula, which are involved in value computation, conflict monitoring, and emotional processing. Task-specific analyses revealed that the DG task activated the right dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) and presupplementary motor area (pre-SMA), indicating cognitive control of fairness. The CD task showed significant activation in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and the second visual cortex, reflecting socio-cognitive evaluation based on context and stimuli. The PvsG task uniquely activated the vmPFC and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), suggesting rapid moral-emotional trade-offs under urgency. These findings indicate that altruistic giving is context-dependent, shaped by specific task demands. Future research should integrate computational modeling with neuroscientific data and explore individual differences and real-world applications.