A pill that let's you sense empathy?

Tolcapone produces feelings of compassion and may treat addiction

Could criminals be given a pill to make them more compassionate?

That's the question being asked by a group of scientists who are developing a pill that can artificially produce feelings of kindness.

The drug works by changing the neurochemical balance in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is responsible for personality, social behaviour and decision-making.

Scientists say it could also someday help treat mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia or addiction.

'Our study shows how studying basic scientific questions about human nature can, in fact, provide important insights into diagnosis and treatment of social dysfunctions,' said Ming Hsu, a co-principal investigator at University of California, Berkeley.

'Our hope is that medications targeting social function may someday be used to treat these disabling conditions,' added Andrew Kayser, a co-principal investigator on the study, at University of California, San Francisco.

Very interesting medication if it truly works. I'd be curious if they think they're going to help prison overcrowding by eventually prescribing this medication to all violent prisoners in the future, to give them empathy. Though truthfully, will that stop violent crimes? I personally doubt empathy will stop crimes, because some criminals already have empathy and still commit crimes, but that's just my take. I do think if it helps addiction, it will only help those who WANT help with addiction, unless people are put in rehab against their will. Curious as to your thoughts on this new pharma med.

Slip one in the to drinks of every world leader and banker and lets see where this goes!

I wonder if this could also be used to treat psychopathy?

a reply to: Anyafaj

If it works then it could be beneficial in a myriad of things like marriage counseling.


However, with every drug there is a potential for abuse I could see it being combined with other drugs for the black market. Makes me wonder what kind of implications that would have.


I could see dosing the financial marketers with it and let their guilt drive them to give back the fortunes they stole.

Glass half full today.

a reply to: Anyafaj

I doubt it would be accepted because you are changing the actual personality society seems not willing to do this as that is what eugenics was all about really. I think it could work as I was born with a distaste for hurting anything or anyone I feel others pain as though it were my own, I don't think I could kill unless I was defending someone else.

originally posted by: Vasa Croe
Slip one in the to drinks of every world leader and banker and lets see where this goes!

I didn't even think of this idea! I like you Vasa! I say we go with this before we run out of supply!

a reply to: Anyafaj

Pharma will sell us the rope we use to hang ourselves.

No. Just No.

That would be interesting to treat psychopaths with, and then watch their faces as they come to the realisation of their actions. Might even make them safe for reintroduction into society.

originally posted by: Anyafaj

originally posted by: Vasa Croe
Slip one in the to drinks of every world leader and banker and lets see where this goes!

I didn't even think of this idea! I like you Vasa! I say we go with this before we run out of supply!

Ha!

I could also see this drug backfiring miserably by giving someone too much compassion and sympathy where it may push someone to suicide because they can only focus on being compassionate and if they can't truly help or make it better then it could lead to much bigger problems.

Though in the case of world leaders and bankers......GO FOR IT!

Or of course there is simply cannabis. But we have kept a plant illegal so that pharmaceutical companies can make a pill. Instead of slipping world leaders a mickey, so to speak, why not just force all of them to 'smoke the peace pipe'? Just put them all in a room with lots of munchies and don't let them out until they agree to stop #ing the little guy over and just pull a 'Rodney' and all get along.

I'm confused. Does this make you sense empathy, or does it make you empathetic?

a reply to: Anyafaj

A pill that let's you sense empathy?

I know a lot of drugs that can do exactly the same thing.....they're all illegal! What's that tell you?

originally posted by: Char-Lee
a reply to: Anyafaj

I doubt it would be accepted because you are changing the actual personality society seems not willing to do this as that is what eugenics was all about really. I think it could work as I was born with a distaste for hurting anything or anyone I feel others pain as though it were my own, I don't think I could kill unless I was defending someone else.

That's how I am. My daughter and I have very empathetic personalities. I don't know if we were born with it, or because of how we were treated by life, we sort of absorbed empathy into our soul, if you will.

originally posted by: Kuroodo
I'm confused. Does this make you sense empathy, or does it make you empathetic?

Apparently it MAKES you empathetic. During the study, those that received the pill, and not the placebo, would then receive money, after taking the actual pill. They would then divide the money among themselves and an anonymous person, and those that took the actual pill divided the money more evenly than those who took the placebo apparently.

As part of the study, participants on two separate visits received a pill containing either a placebo or tolcapone, a drug that prolongs the effects of dopamine.

Dopamine is a brain chemical associated with reward and motivation in the prefrontal cortex.

Participants then played a simple economic game in which they divided money between themselves and an anonymous recipient.

After receiving tolcapone, participants divided the money with the strangers in a fairer, more egalitarian way than after receiving the placebo.

Source

Actually, the party drug known as "Ecstasy" was originally called "Empathy," because it did exactly that. Made you feel like you were in compete understanding of everybody else's feelings.

originally posted by: Blue Shift
Actually, the party drug known as "Ecstasy" was originally called "Empathy," because it did exactly that. Made you feel like you were in compete understanding of everybody else's feelings.

Ok, I learn something new everyday. I'll admit, that I did not know.

a reply to: Blue Shift

I think both names are apt. Oooh the good old days

originally posted by: TwoRavens
Or of course there is simply cannabis. But we have kept a plant illegal so that pharmaceutical companies can make a pill. Instead of slipping world leaders a mickey, so to speak, why not just force all of them to 'smoke the peace pipe'? Just put them all in a room with lots of munchies and don't let them out until they agree to stop #ing the little guy over and just pull a 'Rodney' and all get along.

I find this really funny! pot does not change the personality. I once dated a guy who was stoned nonstop he grew and sold pot, he had beat a guy nearly to death, I didn't know any of this when we met of course, he eventually put me in the hospital he was a monster...a stoned monster.

a reply to: Char-Lee

Yup, pot doesn't stop violent people from being violent. There are violent stoners and mellow drunks

originally posted by: Blue Shift
Actually, the party drug known as "Ecstasy" was originally called "Empathy," because it did exactly that. Made you feel like you were in compete understanding of everybody else's feelings.

Drugs don't fix things.

Abstract:
While clinical studies have established a link between aggression and ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymeth-amphetamine [MDMA]), no research has attempted to explore how this link manifests itself in behavioral outcomes. In this research we examine the effects of ecstasy on aggressive and violent behavior in a sample of active users.

. Our results indicate that those with a higher prevalence of lifetime ecstasy use exhibit higher levels of aggressive and violent behavior. However, the effect of lifetime ecstasy use differs by levels of low self-control as a measure of propensity for aggression.

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