Is Hormone 'Trust In A Bottle?'

Scientists Say Findings Could Be Abused By Con Artists, Politicians

(AP) 
Overall, the investors who received oxytocin invested 17 percent more than investors who received a placebo.

In a second experiment, investors faced the same decision. But this time, the trustee was replaced by a computer program in an effort to see whether the hormone promoted social interaction, or simply encouraged risk-taking.

With the computer, the oxytocin and placebo groups behaved similarly, with both groups investing an average of 7.5 monetary units.

"Oxytocin causes a substantial increase in trusting behavior," Fehr and his colleagues reported.

Researchers said they are performing a new round of experiments using brain imaging. "Now that we know that oxytocin has behavioral effects," Fehr said, "we want to know the brain circuits behind these effects."