Do Psychedelics Increase Pro-social Behavior? – A Comparative Pharmacological Study in Humans

Overview:

The aim of the proposed project is to test whether different pharmacological challenges have lasting effects on pro-sociality.

Abstract:

Psychedelic substances have been shown to be powerful modulators of social perception and behavior during the acute experience1. Pro-social effects of psychedelics may contribute to clinical efficacy in psychiatric illnesses as these disorders are characterized by social withdrawal and isolation2. Furthermore, social relationships play a key role in the development and resolution of clinical symptoms3. However, not only clinical populations but also healthy participants report persisting increases in wellbeing after a single administration of a psychedelic substance, potentially related to pro-social effects4. However, given that pro-social effects were only assessed under the acute influence of psychedelics so far, two key questions remain: 1) Do psychedelics induce lasting effects on pro-social behavior beyond the acute experience? and 2) Are these effects specific to the pharmacological class of serotonergic psychedelics? The following proposed study will answer these questions by investigating objective, ecologically-valid measures of pro-social cognition four weeks after different pharmacological challenges (MDMA, an entactogen and releaser of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine ; psilocybin: a classical psychedelic and serotonin 2A receptor agonist, methylphenidate: an amphetamine and norepinephrine-dopamine re-uptake inhibitor).

Aim: The aim of the proposed project is to test whether different pharmacological challenges have lasting effects on pro-sociality.

Hypothesis: We hypothesize that serotonergic substances (MDMA and psilocybin) will have lasting pro-social effects that are not induced by methylphenidate or placebo.

Broader Impact:

This study will shed light on whether psychedelics lead to lasting improvements in pro-social behavior, a potential mechanism underlying their therapeutic benefits. By comparing different types of psychoactive substances, the project will help clarify whether these effects are unique to serotonergic psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA. The findings could inform both clinical applications for psychiatric conditions marked by social dysfunction and our broader understanding of how these substances influence human social behavior.