Overview

• Steve Chang's team infused oxytocin or saline directly into the basolateral amygdala of male rhesus macaques and tracked prosocial choices alongside neural recordings.
• Oxytocin sustained prosocial decisions and task engagement only when monkeys exhibited high social motivation, counteracting a natural behavioral decline.
• Neural data showed that oxytocin boosted activity in both the basolateral amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex and maintained their coordination during motivated states.
• Researchers suggest that aligning oxytocin delivery with an individual’s motivational state could enhance consistency in clinical treatments.
• Translational challenges include the study’s invasive central infusion approach, differences from intranasal administration, and its focus on male primates.