Social reward learning

The concept of "social reward learning" is closely tied to critical periods in brain development. Dr. Gül Dölen discusses this in an episode of the Tim Ferriss Show.

She explains that teenagers are particularly susceptible to social influences, learning significantly from their environment during a critical period. This period allows them to adapt to their social surroundings more intensively than adults, a phenomenon deeply rooted in neural mechanisms. Dr. Dölen's lab discovered that these critical periods for social reward learning exist not only in humans but also in mice, underlining the importance of these developmental windows 1.

Furthermore, MDMA, among other psychedelics, has been found to reopen these social critical periods by restoring oxytocin metaplasticity in the brain. Initially, it was believed that MDMA's prominent prosocial effects were unique, but later research indicated that other psychedelics like LSD and Ketamine also reopen these critical periods, suggesting a broader application for these substances in potentially therapeutic contexts 2.