Researchers administered 7 weeks of probiotic and prebiotic supplements to subjects followed by a game involving cash rewards.
Compared to those consuming the placebo, players who consumed the supplement were less willing to pursue monetary rewards perceived to be unfair. These differences were attributed to changes in gut bacteria leading to altered dopamine neurotransmitter signaling.
Conclusions
Bacteria in the digestive system are responsible for producing biochemical substances that play a major and impactful role in our social decision-making.
References
Falkenstein, M., Simon, M. C., Mantri, A., Weber, B., Koban, L., & Plassmann, H. (2024). Impact of the gut microbiome composition on social decision-making. PNAS nexus, 3(5), pgae166.