Studying the neurobiology of human social interaction: Making the case for ecological validity (original) (raw)
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Serotonin, emotions and the social brain
Nevropsykologi, 2011
Multiple lines of evidence from animal and human research relate the neurotransmitter serotonin to aspects of emotions, personality and social behaviour, and this neurotransmitter system is targeted in drug treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. A major research program in Copenhagen (Cimbi) focuses on the neural bases-serotonin in particular-of personality dimensions that predispose individuals to affective and substance use disorders. This symposium dealt with highlights from both this research program and from a large SSri treatment study, and preliminary analyses of social cognitive measures from both of these research programs were included as well. Projections from the raphe nuclei in the brainstem (figure 1) reach most of the brain, where serotonin acts to modulate neural processing. it is an exceedingly complex system, as there are more than a dozen subtypes of serotonin receptors, which seem to have separate functions. early indicators of its role in social functions include studies in the vervet monkey (raleigh et al., 1991, 1996). Treatment with enhancement or conversely reduction of serotonergic activity determined social status (when it was uncertain with the dominant male removed), and in this situation eventual acquisition of dominance was preceded by an early increase in prosocial behaviour. observational studies indicated that prosocial behaviours are related to high 5-HT2A receptor density in orbitofrontal and medial prefrontal cortex, and in amygdala. These and related results from humans (e.g. Knutson et al., 1998) form part of the basis for current research and hypotheses (Gade).
Gade2011 serotonin emotions the social brain
Nevropsykologi, 2011
Multiple lines of evidence from animal and human research relate the neurotransmitter serotonin to aspects of emotions, personality and social behaviour, and this neurotransmitter system is targeted in drug treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. A major research program in Copenhagen (Cimbi) focuses on the neural bases-serotonin in particular-of personality dimensions that predispose individuals to affective and substance use disorders. This symposium dealt with highlights from both this research program and from a large SSri treatment study, and preliminary analyses of social cognitive measures from both of these research programs were included as well. Projections from the raphe nuclei in the brainstem (figure 1) reach most of the brain, where serotonin acts to modulate neural processing. it is an exceedingly complex system, as there are more than a dozen subtypes of serotonin receptors, which seem to have separate functions. early indicators of its role in social functions include studies in the vervet monkey (raleigh et al., 1991, 1996). Treatment with enhancement or conversely reduction of serotonergic activity determined social status (when it was uncertain with the dominant male removed), and in this situation eventual acquisition of dominance was preceded by an early increase in prosocial behaviour. observational studies indicated that prosocial behaviours are related to high 5-HT2A receptor density in orbitofrontal and medial prefrontal cortex, and in amygdala. These and related results from humans (e.g. Knutson et al., 1998) form part of the basis for current research and hypotheses (Gade).
The reciprocal interaction between serotonin and social behaviour
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2012
Serotonin (5-HT) is an ancient molecule directing behavioural responses to environmental stimuli. The social environment is the most powerful environmental factor. It is well recognized that 5-HT plays a key role in shaping social responses, and that the serotonergic system itself is highly responsive to social influences. This review aims to provide an overview of a selection of representative papers that significantly contribute to a coherent view on the role of serotonin in reciprocal social interactions. The studies here reviewed, selected using the pubmed search terms "social behaviour" and "serotonin", describe the effects of serotonergic gene variation and pharmacological manipulations in humans, monkeys, and rodents, and involve parental attachment and caregiving, social play, aggressiveness, cooperation, and sexual behaviour. We conclude that serotonin is positively correlated with sensitivity to social factors and modulates social behaviour in a 'for-better-and-for-worse' manner, depending on the nature of social factors. Simultaneously, these behavioural responses influence the serotonergic system, leading to highly complex bidirectional serotonin × environment interaction.
Sociability trait and serotonin metabolism in the rat social interaction test
Neuroscience Letters, 2004
Social behaviour is the basis of one of the most generally accepted independent dimensions of personality. The purpose of the present study was to find out whether the social activity of individual rats, expressed in the social interaction test of anxiety, is consistent, and associated with monoamine levels. Four social interaction tests with 10 days intervals were carried out in 20 rats, and the animals were decapitated 4 days after the last test. There was no consistent correlation between performances in single tests, but the social interaction time in each test correlated strongly with the mean values of social activity in all or the other three tests. Social interaction time of rats correlated moderately but significantly with their partner's social activity in the test. The average social interaction time correlated strongly with 5-HIAA levels in the frontal cortex (r = -0.67, P < 0.01). Neither exposure of rats singly to the social interaction test box nor the test procedure had any effect on monoamine levels. When animals were decapitated immediately after a single social interaction test, there was a negative correlation between the social interaction time and 5-HIAA and 5-HT levels in the septum, but not in the frontal cortex or hippocampus. Thus, social behaviour is a stable trait, expression of which depends in part upon the partner's social behaviour. This trait is negatively associated with 5-HT metabolism in the frontal cortex. Social activity of rats in a particular test situation may rather be related to 5-HT metabolism in the septum.
A neurobiological perspective on social influence: Serotonin and social adaptation
Journal of Neurochemistry, 2022
Humans are inherently social beings. Being suggestible to each other's expectations enables pro-social skills that are crucial for social learning and adaptation. Despite their high relevance for psychiatry, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying social adaptation are still not well understood. This review, therefore, provides a conceptual framework covering various distinct mechanisms underlying social adaptation and explores the neuropharmacology-in particular the role of the serotonin (5-HT) system-in modulating these mechanisms. This article reviews empirical results on social influence processing and reconciles them with recent findings from psychedelic research on social processing to elucidate neurobiological and neuropharmacological underpinnings of social adaptation. Various computational, neurobiological, and neurochemical processes are involved in distinct mechanisms underlying social adaptation such as the multisensory process of social information integration that is crucial for the forming of self-representation and representations of social norms. This is again associated with self-and other-perception during social interactions as well as value-based decision-making that guides our behavior in daily interactions. We highlight the critical role of 5-HT in these processes and suggest that 5-HT can facilitate social learning and may represent an important target for treating psychiatric disorders characterized by impairments in social functioning. This framework also has important implications for psychedelic-assisted therapy as well as for the development of novel treatment approaches and future research directions.
Serotonin and Social Competency
2021
Serotonin and Social Competency Hannah Weinberg-Wolf 2021 Despite the fact that serotonergic drugs are called upon to treat a myriad of psychopathologies, the effect of serotonin on core behaviors and cognitive abilities are poorly understood. This is especially true for cognitive functions which underlie socially Science is an incredibly collaborative endeavor, particularly when working with animals. I would like to acknowledge the help and support of several individuals who were invaluable to this dissertation.
Serotonin is involved in a wide range of mental capacities essential for navigating the social world, including emotion and impulse control. Much recent work on serotonin and social functioning has focused on decision-making. Here we investigated the influence of serotonin on human emotional reactions to social conflict. We used an innovative computerised task that required mentally simulating social situations involving unjust harm and found that depleting the serotonin precursor tryptophan -- in a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled design -- enhanced emotional responses to the scenarios in a large sample of healthy volunteers (n = 73), and interacted with individual differences in trait personality to produce distinctive human emotions. Whereas guilt and shame were preferentially elevated in highly empathic participants, annoyance was potentiated in those with high trait psychopathy and more impulsive participants. Effect size of serotonin depletion on emotion was medium t...
Social Neuroscience, 2010
Social behavior and desire for social relationships have been independently linked to the serotonergic system, the prefrontal cortex, especially the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The goal of this study was to explore the role of serotonin 5HT 2A receptors in these brain regions in forming and maintaining close interpersonal relationships. Twenty-four healthy subjects completed the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) prior to undergoing [ 18 F]setoperone brain positron emission tomography (PET) to measure serotonin 5HT 2A receptor availability within the OFC (BA 11 and 47) and ACC (BA 32). We explored the relationship between desire for social relationships, as measured by the TCI reward dependence (RD) scale, and 5HT 2A receptor non-displaceable binding potential (BP nd) in these regions. Scores of RD were negatively correlated with 5HT 2A BP nd in the ACC (BA 32, r =-0.528, p = 0.012) and OFC (BA 11, r =-0.489, p = 0.021; BA 47, r =-0.501, p = 0.017). These correlations were corroborated by a voxel-wise analysis. These results suggest that the serotonergic system may have a regulatory effect on the OFC and ACC for establishing and maintaining social relationships.
Selective alteration of personality and social behavior by serotonergic intervention
1998
Objective: The authors sought to test the causal hypothesis that serotonergic function modulates aspects of the normal spectrum of individual differences in affective experience and social behavior in humans. Method: A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), paroxetine, 20 mg/day (N=26), or placebo (N=25) was administered to normal volunteers in a double-blind manner for 4 weeks, and personality variables and social behavior were assessed at baseline and at weeks 1 and 4 of treatment. Results: Relative to placebo, SSRI administration reduced focal indices of hostility through a more general decrease in negative affect, yet did not alter indices of positive affect. In addition, SSRI administration increased a behavioral index of social affiliation. Changes in both negative affect and affiliative behavior were significantly related to volunteers' plasma SSRI levels at the end of the experiment. Conclusions: Central serotonergic function may modulate a dimension of normal personality characterized by reduced negative affective experience and increased affiliative behavior. SSRI administration has significant and detectable effects on these measures even in the absence of baseline clinical depression or other psychopathology. a F ratio tests for time-by-plasma paroxetine level interaction. b Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory.