Neuroheroism

It seems that the New York Times may have some rampant speculation on their hands as to what parts of the brain make a hero ;)

When Mr. Autrey saw the stranger, Cameron Hollopeter, 20, tumble onto the tracks, his brain reacted just as anyone else's would. His thalamus, which absorbs sensory information, registered the fall, and sent the information to other parts of the brain for processing, said Gregory L. Fricchione, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Mr. Autrey's amygdala, the part of the brain that mediates fear responses, was activated and sent sensory information to the motor cortex, which sent it down for emotional processing. His anterior cingulate, a sort of brain within the brain that helps people make choices, kicked in, helping trigger his decision about how to act, Dr. Fricchione said.

And don't worry - they didn't forget to include mirror neurons:

New science also suggests that people have "mirror neurons," which make them feel what someone else is experiencing, be it joy or distress.

Mr. Autrey is surely a great hero - but perhaps this should more likely be chalked up to poor control of inhibitions? jumping onto a train track while leaving your two daughters on the platform, possibly leaving them without a father? On the other hand maybe I'm completely wrong, perhaps he was a super fast thinker and realized that he would be safe as the train passed overhead. In anycase he saved a man from being killed by a train so who cares really ;)