The role of beta-endorphins in the effects of ritualized behaviour on anxiety decrease
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| Year of publication | 2022 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | Ritualized behaviour, as part of most cultural and social rituals, has received a great deal of attention from researchers in recent years, especially in terms of its anxiolytic effects. One of the possible mechanisms by which ritualized behaviour reduces anxiety is the ability of ritualized behaviour to return the mind to a known state and thus give the individual a sense of control. However, it is not yet known what physiological mechanism mediates the effect of control on reducing anxiety. One possible mechanism is the activation of the internal opioid system. Although the role of this system is primarily analgesic, it also has an internal reward system and is also activated by various social activities. The effects of this system also include the physiological reduction of anxiety. In the upcoming talk, I would like to present to you my hypotheses that ritualized behaviour can activate the opioid system and can have an influence on the release of neuropeptide endorphin. I would like to explain how it could be tested experimentally by using pain threshold measurement and therefore help to better understand the role of rituals in reducing anxiety. |
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