Blocking mu-opioid receptors inhibits social bonding in rituals.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Charles SJ
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7655482 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Blocking mu-opioid receptors inhibits social bonding in rituals.
Charles S J SJ Farias M M van Mulukom V V Saraswati A A Dein S S Watts F F Dunbar R I M RIM
Biology letters 20201014 10
Religious rituals are universal human practices that play a seminal role in community bonding. In two experiments, we tested the role of mu-opioids as the active factor fostering social bonding. We used a mu-opioid blocker (naltrexone) in two double-blind studies of rituals from different religious traditions. We found the same effect across both studies, with naltrexone leading to significantly lower social bonding compared with placebo. These studies suggest that mu-opioids play a significant ...[more]
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