LAUSR

Description An evolutionarily ancient signaling pathway mediates emotional contagion Empathy, the capacity to recognize the emotional state of others, is a hallmark of highly social mammals, such as primates, elephants, and dolphins (1). However, evidence from studies in rodents (2), fish (3), and birds (4) suggests that the capacity for empathy is widespread across vertebrates (5). In some species, an individual’s emotional state can spread through a social group; yet, the prevalence of this emotional contagion is unclear (1). Although few studies have examined the neural basis of empathy and emotional contagion, research in mammals implicates the oxytocin system in striatal and septal circuits connecting to the amygdala (6–10). These brain regions are critical nodes of a conserved social decision-making network (SDMN) that enables vertebrates to produce context-appropriate behavior (11). On page 1232 of this issue, Akinrinade et al. (12) report that the evolutionarily ancient oxytocin system is a necessary component in the behavioral transmission of fear contagion in zebrafish (Danio rerio).