NIH R01 · 2024
Kappa opioid and oxytocin interactions in social buffering and separation
Project abstract Social connectedness is crucially important to human health, and is increasingly recognized as such, especially in these days of “social distancing”. While strong social relationships may confer a survivorship advantage with large effect sizes similar to those for health behaviors like diet and exercise1, disruption and loss of social relationships carry significant health risks and mortality, including increased risk of mental illness, cardiovascular disease, stroke, etc.2–4. However, neurobiological mechanisms for positive and negative aspects of social connectedness have been under-studied. The κ opioid system, which is systematically activated during stress (including…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.