grafs50 said:Does anybody know of any studies that effect how society regulates neurotransmitters and/or hormones in the body; especially long term. Specifically any studies about how they (especially neurotransmitters) regulate in social groups. Its a theory I have and I'd like to see if there is anything to back it up.
DiracPool said:Hi graps50, your question in my mind is worded in a way that is not obvious in it's focus. However, I for one on this site am willing to try to read between the lines to address what I think is your question and try to answer it to the best of my abilities. Perhaps some further discourse in this thread can isolate your true inquiry or else evidence that you need to do some more personal resarch before posting a question as Yanick seems to have alluded to.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that affect the membrane polarity of neurons in the transmission of signals within the nervous system. The principal neurotransmitters in the CNS are norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin, know collectively as the monoamines. There is also glutamate, an exitatory transmitter, and GABA, and inhibitory interneuron transmitter, and a few other minor players. Society, per se, doesn't regulate these transmitters, as these are naturally occurring, other than perhaps the secondary regulation of their precursor products that may be regulated by the FDA (in the usa). If you meant, on the other hand, how social interactions between peoples in a society regulate these transmitters, then this is a more complicated question. However, you can generally say that the monoamines are involved in flight or flight and reward-punishment effects in the brain. They are also involved in protien synthesis for synapse modification in memory consolidation along with acetylcholine. But specific effects as far as societal interactions are hard to quantify.
As far as hormones, there are many that are thought to selectively sensitize certian neural circuits throuhout the brainstem largely via the hypothalamus-pituitary complex, at least in vertebrates. This is a somewhat complex subject outside the scope of this post. I recommend reviewing some of Larry Swanson's work from UCIrvine.
To leave you with some positive direction for study, however, look at the neuromodulator oxytocin, which has been involved in pair bonding and therefore has been very reliably linked to social interactions, including "love," and therefore may be implicated in many contemporary socially relavent political issues involving gangs, religions etc. Good luck, and I welcome clarification if I am not reading your question succesfully.
Yanick said:
grafs50 said:Alright thanks. Ya, I was trying to ask if there are any studies out on how social interactions change the level of different neurotransmitters. This is for research for a theory I have that they do appear to regulate among people as they come together in a group (because of how they seem to act similar to each other). Apparently I explained myself poorly.
I have put a rather extensive amount of time into finding any research that would help prove or disprove my hypothesis, but I couldn't find any. Anyways, thank you for your help!
grafs50 said:Does anybody know of any studies that effect how society regulates neurotransmitters and/or hormones in the body; especially long term. Specifically any studies about how they (especially neurotransmitters) regulate in social groups. Its a theory I have and I'd like to see if there is anything to back it up.
grafs50 said:I've been trying not to say anything since I saw this. But this is, frankly, rude IMO. You could have just asked if I had looked it up (which I agree would have been stupid and lazy if I hadn't) instead of actually spending the time to make this link just to be insulting.
Come on now...
I agree, many times people that ask such broad questions either don't look or don't know how to look. In either case showing them how to do an appropriate search with meaningful results is very helpful, more helpful than having someone else google for you and feed you the answers/links. I find it hard to believe that you, grafs, could not have googled the answers you've been given, which is exactly what the people that gave you responses did.Yanick said:"Cerebrospinal fluid measures of neurotransmitter changes associated with pharmacological alteration of the despair response to social separation in rhesus monkeys."
"Localized and discrete changes in neuropeptide (LHRH and TRH) and neurotransmitter (NE and DA) concentrations within the olfactory bulbs of male mice as a function of social interaction"
"Intuition and autism: a possible role for Von Economo neurons"Here are the titles of the 3rd, 4th and 5th hits on google scholar, found within my link. I'm not sure what you are looking for specifically but there seems to be a lot to read and absorb with the first page of the google results...
I believe it is a little rude to come on a forum and expect people to do your work for you, the fact is your question is akin to someone asking the people on here to teach them an entire field. Proper research would yield focused questions, not "what do neurotransmitter a do in social situations."
Social situations can have a significant impact on neurotransmitter levels in the brain. For example, positive social interactions such as laughing and sharing can increase levels of neurotransmitters like dopamine and oxytocin, which are associated with feelings of pleasure and bonding. On the other hand, negative social situations such as conflict and stress can lead to a decrease in neurotransmitter levels, causing feelings of anxiety and depression.
Yes, social situations can influence hormone levels in the body. Studies have shown that social interactions and relationships can affect the release of hormones such as cortisol, which regulates stress response, and oxytocin, which is involved in social bonding. Hormone levels can also be affected by the quality and quantity of social interactions, as well as individual differences in response to social situations.
Neurotransmitters and hormones play a crucial role in regulating social behavior. They are responsible for regulating mood, emotions, and motivation, which are all essential for social interactions. For example, oxytocin has been linked to trust and empathy, while serotonin is involved in regulating aggression and social dominance. Imbalances in these chemicals can lead to difficulties in social functioning.
Yes, there can be individual differences in how social situations affect neurotransmitter and hormone levels. Some people may be more sensitive to social stressors and have a stronger physiological response, while others may be more resilient. Additionally, genetics, past experiences, and other factors can also influence an individual's response to social situations.
In some cases, the effects of social situations on neurotransmitters and hormones can have long-lasting effects. Chronic stress, for example, can lead to changes in the brain's structure and function, resulting in alterations in neurotransmitter and hormone levels. These changes can have long-term consequences on an individual's mental and physical health, highlighting the importance of managing social situations and stress in daily life.