The dopamine hypothesis of social support

Abstract

It has been suggested that dopamine may play an important role in human evolution and adaptive behaviors. Recent studies have revealed an association between the dopamine system and social support among healthy individuals. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, we propose a dopamine hypothesis, which states that the level of dopaminergic system activity could influence social support via the capacity of cognitive function. Two lines of literature supporting the mechanism of this hypothesis are reviewed. Further experimental and longitudinal study is required to test this hypothesis. This hypothesis may help to identify the mechanism explaining the influence of dopamine on social support and provide support for dopaminergic pharmacotherapy for deficits in social behaviors.