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Related Experiment Video

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Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain

Published on: October 13, 2023

Pain tolerance predicts human social network size.

Katerina V-A Johnson¹, Robin I M Dunbar¹

¹University of Oxford, Department of Experimental Psychology, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3UD, UK.

Scientific Reports

|April 29, 2016

Summary

Pain tolerance, a measure of the endogenous opioid system, correlates with human social network size. This suggests a biological link between pain modulation and social bonding, offering insights into social behavior.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Social Biology
Psychology

Background:

Human social network size varies greatly and impacts health.
Biological underpinnings of sociality are not fully understood.
The brain opioid theory links social bonding to beta-endorphin and mu-opioid receptors in the CNS.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the association between mu-opioid system activity and the number of social relationships.
To use pain tolerance as an indicator of endogenous mu-opioid system activation.

Main Methods:

Measured pain tolerance as a proxy for mu-opioid system activity.
Correlated pain tolerance with human social network size.

Main Results:

A positive correlation was found between pain tolerance and social network size.
This suggests the endogenous opioid system plays a role in managing social interactions.

Conclusions:

Mu-opioid receptor signaling extends beyond pain modulation to social behavior.
The neuroplasticity of the mu-opioid system warrants further research for disorders involving social withdrawal and anhedonia.