Lee Sung W, Cullen Kathryn R, Rim Sung-Ryun, Toddes Carlee
Department of Bioethics and Medical Humanism, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, United States.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, United States.
Front Psychol. 2024 Dec 24;15:1432175. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1432175. eCollection 2024.
We introduce two Korean-named yet transcultural feelings, and , to fill gaps in neuroscientific understanding of mammalian bondedness, loss, and aggression. is a visceral sense of connectedness to a person, place, or thing that may arise after proximity, yet does not require intimacy. The brain opioid theory of social attachment (BOTSA) supports the idea that involves increased activity of enkephalins and beta-endorphins. We propose that withdrawal of -related neuropeptides leads to original , a sense of "missingness" that is too subtle to be grossly dysphoric. Through narrative, cognitive appraisals, or moral assignments, however, original may transform into the feeling of constructed resentment, bitterness, grievance, sorrow, or suppressed anger. In males, the transformation may be driven by arginine vasopressin, an ancient fight-or-flight neurohormone. Constructed may also be driven by vasopressin in females, though data is more sparse, and in both sexes it may depend on situational or societal context. Endogenous opioids inhibit vasopressin, so that when diminishes, vasopressin release may become disinhibited. This relationship implies a companion to the BOTSA, which we articulate as the brain opioid and vasopressin theory of original and constructed (BOVTOCH). To illustrate, we reflect on borderline personality disorder, and Vincent van Gogh's self-severing of his ear while living and working with Paul Gauguin, and fearing abandonment by him; yet to understand Van Gogh more completely we also present the brain opioid theory of stable euphoric creativity (BOTSEC), to model the subjective "highs" associated with creative flow states. Together these brain opioid theories may help to explain how feelings related to social bondedness can influence a range of phenomena. For example, opioid drug dependence may be, at least partly, a maladaptive response to feelings of isolation or disconnectedness; the health protective effects of social bonds could be related to tonic exposure to endogenous opioids and their anti-inflammatory properties; endogenous opioid-based social relational enhancement may contribute to placebo responding. Finally we conclude by pointing out the possibility of virtuous cycles of social connectedness and creativity, when feelings of bondedness and euphoric flow reinforce one another through endogenous opioid elevation.
我们引入两种具有韩国名称但超越文化的情感，即“依恋”和“怨愤”，以填补神经科学在理解哺乳动物的情感联结、失落感和攻击性方面的空白。“依恋”是一种与某个人、某个地方或某件事物产生的内在联系感，这种感觉可能在亲近之后出现，但并不需要亲密关系。社会依恋的脑阿片理论（BOTSA）支持这样一种观点，即“依恋”涉及脑啡肽和β-内啡肽的活性增加。我们提出，与“依恋”相关的神经肽的撤回会导致原始的“怨愤”，一种太过微妙而不至于严重烦躁不安的“失落感”。然而，通过叙事、认知评估或道德归因，原始的“怨愤”可能会转化为建构的怨恨、痛苦、委屈、悲伤或压抑的愤怒。在男性中，这种转化可能由精氨酸加压素驱动，它是一种古老的“战斗或逃跑”神经激素。在女性中，建构的“怨愤”也可能由加压素驱动，不过相关数据较少，而且在两性中它可能取决于情境或社会背景。内源性阿片类物质会抑制加压素，所以当“依恋”减弱时，加压素的释放可能会不受抑制。这种关系意味着社会依恋的脑阿片理论（BOTSA）有一个补充理论，我们将其阐述为原始和建构的“怨愤”的脑阿片和加压素理论（BOVTOCH）。为了说明这一点，我们思考了边缘性人格障碍，以及文森特·梵高在与保罗·高更一起生活和工作时，因害怕被他抛弃而割掉自己耳朵的事例；然而，为了更全面地理解梵高，我们还提出了稳定欣快创造力的脑阿片理论（BOTSEC），以模拟与创造性心流状态相关的主观“兴奋感”。这些脑阿片理论共同作用，可能有助于解释与社会情感联结相关的情感如何能够影响一系列现象。例如，阿片类药物依赖可能至少部分是对孤独或疏离感的一种适应不良反应；社会关系的健康保护作用可能与持续接触内源性阿片类物质及其抗炎特性有关；基于内源性阿片类物质的社会关系增强可能有助于安慰剂效应的产生。最后，我们指出当情感联结和欣快的心流通过内源性阿片类物质水平的升高相互强化时，社会联结和创造力可能会形成良性循环的可能性。
