The pleasures of play: pharmacological insights into social reward mechanisms
Open accessAbstract
Like human children, most young mammals devote a significant amount of time and energy playing together, and social play is fun. Although social play is very pleasurable, it is more than just a frivolous activity: it is crucial for the development of behavioral flexibility, the acquisition of social and cognitive competence, and the maintenance of group cohesion. Social play is a natural reinforcer, and the neurotransmitter systems intimately implicated in the motivational, pleasurable and cognitive aspects of natural and drug rewards, such as opioids, endocannabinoids, dopamine and norepinephrine, play an important modulatory role in the performance of social play. In this review, we address the notion that social play is rewarding, and discuss recent developments in the neuropharmacology of this behavior. This provides a framework to understand how the brain processes social emotions, to make young individuals enjoy social play.
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Manipulation of PRs may affect a variety of signaling molecules, such as arginine vasopressin, opioids, endocannabinoids, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and GABA, which are all involved in social play behavior.
“Manipulation of PRs may affect a variety of signaling molecules, such as arginine vasopressin, opioids, endocannabinoids, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and GABA, which are all involved in social play behavior [31–33].”
From Sex-specific effects of neonatal progestin receptor antagonism on juvenile social play behavior in rats (2021) · cites this paper as [32]
The Introduction and the Dopamine section link opioids, endocannabinoids, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and GABA to social play; the References list a study of vasopressin and play fighting. However, the paper does not establish that manipulating PRs affects these signaling molecules. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.87)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSocial play is a highly motivational behavior.
“Social play is a highly motivational behavior (Trezza et al., 2010)”
From Sex-specific modulation of juvenile social play behavior by vasopressin and oxytocin depends on social context (2014) · cites this paper as Trezza et al., 2010
Endogenous opioid, cannabinoid, dopaminergic, glutamatergic, and cholinergic mechanisms mediate social affiliative behaviors including the rewarding aspects of social play.
“endogenous opioid, cannabinoid, dopaminergic, glutamatergic, and cholinergic mechanisms are thought to play important roles in mediating social affiliative behaviors, including the rewarding aspects of social play [39,40]”
From The social motivation theory of autism (2012) · cites this paper as [39]
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References 65 · Cited by 372
- Authors
- Trezza, V., Baarendse, P. J. J., & Vanderschuren, L. J. M. J.
- Affiliations
- Roma Tre University (IT)
- University Medical Center Utrecht (NL)
- Utrecht University (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Trezza, Viviana
- Vanderschuren, Louk J.M.J.
- Venue
- Trends in Pharmacological Sciences
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2010-10
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 463-469
- ISSN
- 0165-6147 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2946511
- OpenAlex
- W2074596450
- Cited by
- 372
- References
- 65
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 35 · 2017: 34 · 2016: 28 · 2015: 38 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 31 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 1.77
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Trends in Pharmacological Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Iris (Roma Tre University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Top Institute Pharma (T5-107)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA022628)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Keywords
- social play, social reward, neuropharmacology, dopamine, norepinephrine, endocannabinoids, opioids, social emotions, behavioral flexibility, group cohesion, social competence, reinforcers
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Central Nervous System Agents, Emotions, Humans, Motivation, Play and Playthings, Reward, Social Behavior, Neurotransmitter Agents
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