ABSTRACT
Perception and action are closely linked. Activation of a sensorimotor module by external sensory information can automatically produce a motor response, as illustrated by stimulus-bound phenomena. Partial activation of a sensorimotor module would not implement the link between stimulus and response but enhance the probability of responding, that is, create an action disposition. Preparing females to become attached to their young, hormonal changes in late pregnancy induce the synthesis of oxytocin in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus along with oxytocin receptor expression in projection areas of the paraventricular nucleus, including the medial preoptic area, ventral tegmental area, and nucleus accumbens. Psychotic episodes in schizophrenia, which typically feature delusional beliefs about harm or danger emanating from specific individuals or social groups, are often preceded or accompanied by syndromatic or subsyndromatic social phobia characterized by intense apprehensions, generalized across all social encounters, about being criticized, negatively evaluated, or rejected by others.
