A research team led by scientist Francesco Papalio from the Italian Institute of Technology has discovered a brain network that enables humans to recognize the emotions of others. This discovery lays the foundation for developing new therapies for neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia or autism. The relevant paper was published in the latest issue of Nature Neuroscience on the 20th. Recognizing other people's expressions and making appropriate responses is a fundamental skill for humans and animals, which can make interactions between peers more effective and thus increase survival rates. However, little is known about the brain mechanisms behind this ability. In this study, the Papalio team utilized advanced technology to discover brain circuits involved in these social cognitive processes. This loop is composed of a specific set of neural cells that connect the prefrontal cortex and the posterior splenic cortex, two brain regions. The research team tested the function of this neural circuit on 100 human volunteers. Each participant was asked to watch various facial expressions displayed on the screen, such as anger, happiness, or neutrality. During the testing process, researchers used magnetic resonance imaging technology to record the brain activity of participants and observe which regions were activated. The results confirm that the activity of neural circuits in the prefrontal cortex and the posterior splenic cortex are related to emotion recognition. (Lai Xin She)