by Researchers have reached a groundbreaking milestone in understanding the neural mechanisms behind social behavior through a first-in-humans discovery. In a study published in Nature Human Behavior, scientists investigated the roles of dopamine and serotonin, two key neuromodulators in the human brain, in influencing social interactions. This research was conducted on Parkinson’s disease patients undergoing awake brain surgery, focusing on the substantia nigra, a region known for its involvement in motor control and reward processing.
The study, led by Read Montague, a computational neuroscientist at Virginia Tech, shed light on a novel neurochemical pathway that explains a common human behavior – the tendency to make decisions based on social context. The research involved four patients playing the “take it or leave it” ultimatum game during deep brain stimulation surgery. This game required participants to accept or reject varying offers from both human and computer players, with findings indicating a preference for offers from computers over identical offers from humans.
Montague explained that individuals tend to act rationally when playing against computers, following economic principles, but exhibit different behavior when interacting with fellow humans. This phenomenon highlights the intricate interplay between dopamine and serotonin in shaping decision-making processes influenced by social cues.
The study revealed that dopamine levels fluctuate in response to offer quality, while serotonin focuses on evaluating individual offers. Moreover, dopamine levels were found to be higher when participants interacted with humans, signaling the brain’s heightened sensitivity to fairness during social interactions. The simultaneous measurement of dopamine and serotonin levels in awake patients allowed researchers to uncover the dynamic dance between these neurotransmitters in social settings, setting a new precedent in neuroscience research.
Dan Bang, the study’s first author, emphasized the significance of this research in illuminating the cognitive processes underlying human behavior. The study’s innovative methodology, which involved monitoring neurotransmitter levels in real-time during brain surgery, provided unprecedented insights into the intricate workings of the human brain.
While the immediate focus was on understanding Parkinson’s disease pathology, the implications of this study extend to a wide range of brain disorders. The potential applications of this research in fields like psychiatry offer hope for developing more precise and effective treatments for various neurological conditions.
Montague’s pioneering work in measuring neurotransmitter activity has revolutionized our understanding of human cognition and behavior. By unraveling the complexities of brain chemistry and its impact on decision-making, this research opens doors to a deeper comprehension of the human mind and potential therapeutic interventions for brain-related disorders.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
