MDMA Increases Cooperation and Recruitment of Social Brain Areas When Playing Trustworthy Players in an Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma
Journal of Neuroscience November 19, 2018 Anthony S. Gabay, Matthew J. Kempton, James Gilleen et al. 40 citations
MDMA increases cooperative behavior, but only when interacting with trustworthy partners. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, 20 male participants received 100 mg MDMA or placebo and played an iterated Prisoner's Dilemma with opponents who varied in cooperation. MDMA enhanced cooperation with trustworthy opponents (odds ratio = 2.01) but not untrustworthy ones. MDMA specifically improved recovery from, not the impact of, breaches in cooperation. Brain activity increased in regions linked to social cognition, including precentral and supramarginal gyri, superior temporal cortex, central operculum/posterior insula, and supplementary motor area. Trust ratings did not change. The effect of MDMA on social decision-making depends on the context of the other person's behavior.