The locus coeruleus – norepinephrine system as a regulator of social perception

Abstract

Social perception allows us to rapidly interpret others' emotions, intentions, and actions, yet the underlying neural mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here, we propose a framework linking neuromodulatory function to large-scale networks involved in social perception. The framework centers on the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC–NE) system as an orchestrator of cortical networks. We argue that social perception is optimized when moderate tonic LC activity is paired with strong phasic responses to social-emotional cues, enabling selective attention, flexible updating of expectations, and accurate interpretation of social information. By contrast, both reduced and excessive LC activity are predicted to impair social perception. LC hypoactivity limits engagement with socially relevant cues, whereas hyperactivity produces diffuse arousal, distractibility, and hypervigilance, reducing discrimination of relevant from irrelevant social signals. We further propose that social perception emerges through modulation of local cortical gain, large-scale brain networks, and perceptual evidence accumulation, providing a mechanistic bridge between cellular processes and social behavior. Finally, we outline testable predictions and consider how disrupted LC function may contribute to social cognitive deficits in aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and neuropsychiatric disorders. By placing the LC–NE system as orchestrator of adaptive social perception, this framework offers a unifying account of how neuromodulation shapes social behavior.

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BibTeX RIS

BibTeX

@misc{ziaei2026locus,
  title = {{The locus coeruleus – norepinephrine system as a regulator of social perception}},
  author = {Maryam Ziaei and Camilla Bay Panduro Jensen and Hazim Hussein and Claire O'Callaghan and Valerio Zerbi and Heidi I. L. Jacobs},
  howpublished = {PsyArXiv},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.31234/osf.io/z69we_v2},
  url = {https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/z69we_v2/},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}

RIS

TY  - UNPB
TI  - The locus coeruleus – norepinephrine system as a regulator of social perception
AU  - Maryam Ziaei
AU  - Camilla Bay Panduro Jensen
AU  - Hazim Hussein
AU  - Claire O'Callaghan
AU  - Valerio Zerbi
AU  - Heidi I. L. Jacobs
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/02
PB  - PsyArXiv
DO  - 10.31234/osf.io/z69we_v2
UR  - https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/z69we_v2/
AB  - Social perception allows us to rapidly interpret others' emotions, intentions, and actions, yet the underlying neural mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here, we propose a framework linking neuromodulatory function to large-scale networks involved in social perception. The framework centers on the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC–NE) system as an orchestrator of cortical networks. We argue that social perception is optimized when moderate tonic LC activity is paired with strong phasic responses to social-emotional cues, enabling selective attention, flexible updating of expectations, and accurate interpretation of social information. By contrast, both reduced and excessive LC activity are predicted to impair social perception. LC hypoactivity limits engagement with socially relevant cues, whereas hyperactivity produces diffuse arousal, distractibility, and hypervigilance, reducing discrimination of relevant from irrelevant social signals. We further propose that social perception emerges through modulation of local cortical gain, large-scale brain networks, and perceptual evidence accumulation, providing a mechanistic bridge between cellular processes and social behavior. Finally, we outline testable predictions and consider how disrupted LC function may contribute to social cognitive deficits in aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and neuropsychiatric disorders. By placing the LC–NE system as orchestrator of adaptive social perception, this framework offers a unifying account of how neuromodulation shapes social behavior.
ER  -

Abstract

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