Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Morphine reduces social cohesion in rats.

J Panksepp, N Najam, F Soares

Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior

|August 1, 1979

Summary

Low doses of morphine significantly decreased social behavior in rats, indicating reduced gregariousness. This effect was independent of motor activity, suggesting a specific impact on social motivation rather than sedation.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Chest X-ray evaluation using machine learning to support the early diagnosis of pulmonary TB.

The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease·2024

Same author

Diagnosis of COVID-19 by sound-based analysis of vocal recordings.

Pulmonology·2023

Same author

Reduction of visual acuity decreases capacity to evaluate radiographic image quality.

Radiography (London, England : 1995)·2020

Same author

Methodology for assessing the individual role of fish, oyster, phytoplankton and macroalgae in the ecology of integrated production in earthen ponds.

MethodsX·2019

Same author

Morphological changes of the internal carotid artery: prevalence and characteristics. A clinical and ultrasonographic study in a series of 19 804 patients over 25 years old.

European journal of neurology·2017

Same author

Physiological responses of reared sea bream (Sparus aurata Linnaeus, 1758) to an Amyloodinium ocellatum outbreak.

Journal of fish diseases·2017

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Behavioral Pharmacology

Background:

Social behavior and motivation are complex processes influenced by neurochemical systems.
Endogenous opioid systems are theorized to play a role in social attraction and bonding.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the effects of low-dose morphine on social motivation in rats.
To determine if morphine-induced changes in social behavior are related to sedation or specific opioid system activation.

Main Methods:

Paired rats were observed in a test arena to measure physical proximity maintenance.
Low doses of morphine (1 mg/kg) were administered.
Amphetamine was used to modulate motor activity.
Naloxone was administered to assess opioid receptor involvement.

Main Results:

Morphine reliably reduced the time rats spent in close proximity.
This reduction in social behavior was not due to sedation, as amphetamine increased motor activity without altering the morphine effect.
Naloxone produced inconsistent effects on social motivation.

Conclusions:

The findings support the hypothesis that endogenous opioid system activation is crucial for social attraction.
Exogenous opioid system activation, as induced by morphine, can decrease the natural tendency for gregariousness.
Opioid systems are specifically involved in regulating social motivation, separate from general motor activity.

Related Experiment Videos