The social brain: neurobiological basis of affiliative behaviours and psychological well-being.

摘要: The social brain hypothesis proposes that the demands of environment provided evolutionary pressure led to expansion primate brain. Consistent with this notion, functioning in world is crucial our survival, while close supportive relationships are known enhance well-being, a range stressors such as abuse, discrimination and dysfunctional can increase risk psychiatric disorders. centrality everyday lives further exemplified by fact abnormality behaviour salient feature neurodevelopmental This paper aims provide selective overview current knowledge neurobiological basis ability form maintain personal relationships, benefits these confer on health. Focusing neurochemical neuroendocrine interactions within affective motivational neural circuits, it highlights specific importance cutaneous somatosensation affiliative behaviours psychological well-being reviews evidence, support hypothesis, class unmyelinated, low threshold mechanosensitive nerves, named c-tactile afferents, have direct role processing tactile stimuli.