Message in the bottle...
Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 10:20 am
It sounds like the kind of perfume a conman would pay a fortune for.
Researchers have discovered a chemical that makes people trust each other.
The natural hormone, called oxytocin, is already known to promote the maternal instinct, fidelity and sexual behaviour and had been dabbed the 'cuddle hormone'.
Now scientists at Zurich University have discovered that, when sniffed, it also increases trust.
The researchers hope it will lead to new treatment for people who have problems forming social bonds, such as those with autism. Their study, published in the journal Nature, involved 178 men who were given either a single dose of oxytocin through a nasal spray, or a dummy substance.
They then played a game in pairs in which one was an investor and the other a trustee.
Investors were given a number of unites which they could hand over.
The ritual was complex but, in simple terms, those who sniffed the hormone handed over far more of their units than those who took the placebo. The study authors said this proved the chemical did not just trigger people to take risks, but actually promoted trust during social interactions.
Dr Fehr said that many drugs are already banned from public sale and that same laws could prevent abuse of oxytocin.
www.dailymail.co.uk
Researchers have discovered a chemical that makes people trust each other.
The natural hormone, called oxytocin, is already known to promote the maternal instinct, fidelity and sexual behaviour and had been dabbed the 'cuddle hormone'.
Now scientists at Zurich University have discovered that, when sniffed, it also increases trust.
The researchers hope it will lead to new treatment for people who have problems forming social bonds, such as those with autism. Their study, published in the journal Nature, involved 178 men who were given either a single dose of oxytocin through a nasal spray, or a dummy substance.
They then played a game in pairs in which one was an investor and the other a trustee.
Investors were given a number of unites which they could hand over.
The ritual was complex but, in simple terms, those who sniffed the hormone handed over far more of their units than those who took the placebo. The study authors said this proved the chemical did not just trigger people to take risks, but actually promoted trust during social interactions.
Dr Fehr said that many drugs are already banned from public sale and that same laws could prevent abuse of oxytocin.
www.dailymail.co.uk