Endogenous opioids and social behavior

doi:10.1016/0149-7634(80)90036-6

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

Volume 4, Issue 4, Winter 1980, Pages 473-487

https://doi.org/10.1016/0149-7634(80)90036-6 Get rights and content

Abstract

Evidence for the hypothesis that brain-opioids mediate social affect and social attachments is summarized. Opiates and opioids are very effective in reducing social separation-induced distress vocalizations (DVs), in puppies, young guinea pigs and chicks, while opiate antagonists can increase DVs. In studies of specific social behaviors in rodents, morphine (at doses 1 mg/kg and below) decreases proximity maintenance time in socially housed animals, increases play, decreases maternal aggression but has no effect on pup retrieval. Naloxone reduces play and disrupts pup-retrieval, but has no consistent effect on proximity maintenance time of socially housed animals. In young rats tested in social learning situations, morphine delays and naloxone hastens extinction. These data are consistent with the proposition that brain opioids modulate social emotions and behaviors.

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^☆: This work was supported by Research Scientist Development Award MH-0086 to J.P.

²: Present address: Addiction Research Foundation, Palo Alto, CA 94304.

³: Present address: Department of Psychology, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA 18510.

View full text

Endogenous opioids and social behavior☆

Abstract

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Anim. Behav.

Gen. Pharmac.

Pharmac. Biochem. Behav.

Life Sci.

Soc. Neurosci. Lett.

Behav. Biol.

Am. J. Obst. Gynec.

Neurosci. Biobehav. Revs.

Eur. J. Pharmac.

Life Sci.

Trends Neurosci.

Pharmac. Biochem. Behav.

Pharmac. Biochem. Behav.

Pharmac. Biochem. Behav.

Brain Res. Bull.

Life Sci.

Brain Res.

Neuropharmacology

Life Sci.

Antagonism of stimulation-produced analgesia by naloxone, a narcotic antagonist

Science

Behavioral and pharmacological studies on morphine-induced excitation of rats: Possible relations to brain catecholamines

Psychopharmacologia

Infant crying and maternal responsiveness

Child Dev.

Enkephalin may mediate euphoria and drive-reduction reward

Nature

The effects of chronic opiate treatment and social isolation on opiate receptors in the rodent brain

A material with opioid activity in bovine milk and milk products

Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmac.

Ontogeny of behavioral arousal: The role of environmental stimuli

J. comp. physiol. Psychol.

Opiates lead to persistence of spatial habits with social rewards

Soc. Neurosci. Abstr.

The development of emotional distress reactions to separation in puppies

J. genet. Psychol.

Naloxone attenuates rat's preference for signaled shock

Physiol. Psychol.

The effects of differential early treatment on the social and exploratory behavior of puppies

unpublished Ph.D. Thesis

Hyperalgesia induced by naloxone follows diurnal rhythm in responsivity to painful stimuli

Science

Induction of copulatory behavior in sexually inactive rats by naloxone

Science

Clonidine blocks acute opiate-withdrawal symptoms

Lancet

Increase in serum prolactin by exogenous and endogenous opiate evidence for antidopamine and anti-psychotic effects

Am. J. Psychiat.

Opioid peptides (endorphins) in pituitary and brain

Science

Some effects of naloxone on behavior in the mouse

Psychopharmacology

The development of affection patterns in infant monkeys