Dopamine
[4-(2-Aminoethyl)benzene-1,2-diol] is a hormone that functions as a neurotransmitter-a chemical
released by nerve cells to send signals to other nerve cells. Several important
diseases of the nervous system are associated with dysfunctions of the dopamine
system. Parkinson's disease, a degenerative condition causing tremor and motor
impairment, has been related to the loss of dopamine-secreting neurons in the
midbrain area called the substantia nigra.
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| Dopamine |
Tolcapone
[(3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitrophenyl)(4-methylphenyl)methanone] is a selective
inhibitor of the enzyme catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT). It is used in the
treatment of Parkinson’s disease as an adjunct to levodopa/carbidopa
medication.
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| Tolcapone |
Many articles in the literature point suggest that there is a link between dopamine and Egalitarian behavior. Egalitarianism is characterized by belief in the equality of all people, especially in political, economic, or social life.
In a unique experiment step-up researchers
using a combination of pharmacological tools and economic games, provide
critical evidence for a causal involvement of dopamine in human egalitarian
tendencies. Tolcapone and a placebo was provided to different set of volunteers,
the results were then investigated to explain the relationship between
dopaminergic mechanisms and two pro-social concerns at the core of a number of
widely used economic games: (1) the extent to which individuals directly value
the material payoffs of others, i.e., generosity, and (2) the extent to which
they are averse to differences between their own payoffs and those of others,
i.e., inequity.
Researchers found that
dopaminergic augmentation via COMT inhibition increased egalitarian tendencies
in participants. Further, using a computational modeling of choice behaviour,
it is revealed that tolcapone exerted selective effects on inequity aversion,
and not on other computational components.
The authors conclude as “These
data shed light on the causal relationship between neurochemical systems and
human prosocial behavior and have potential implications for understanding of
the complex array of social impairments accompanying neuropsychiatric disorders
involving dopaminergic dysregulation”.
Article citation: Kayer, A.; et.
al. Dopamine Modulates Egalitarian Behavior in Humans. Current Biology Mar
2015. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2015.01.071
