Jaak Panksepp lectures on emotions in animals, humans

'Taking the emotional feelings in animals seriously should yield more rapid understanding of human emotions,' and further work in humans could also promote development of psychiatric medicines, said Jaak Panksepp, professor of integrative psychology and neuroscience at Washington State University, speaking Oct. 24 on Cornell's campus. Panksepp's statements referred to his life work to understand emotions in animals in scientific ways, and apply those findings to humans, which he discussed during his University Lecture, 'The Emotional Feelings of Other (Animal) Brains: From Cross-Species Neuro-Affective Foundations to Novel Psychiatric Therapeutics.' The publication of his 1998 book, 'Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions,' launched a field to identify the genetics, chemistry and brain areas where emotions take place. In his talk, Panksepp described seven emotion systems in the brains of animals and people, including seeking (referring to enthusiasm and curiosity), lust, care and play, which all evoke positive states, and rage, fear and panic, which are associated with negative states. His research has shown that positive emotional systems, such as seeking and play, stimulate the release of brain opioids, substances that act on opioid receptors in the brain and produce morphine-like effects. Studies of simple care, such as holding chicks, a placebo from a caring doctor or a caring therapist all show evidence of opioids being released, he said. 'Positive social interaction releases opioids,' he said.