Customer Reviews

Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions (Series in Affective Science)

5 star:		(9)
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3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of the first books out there on this fairly new field, affective neuroscience. Most previous work has focused largely on behavioral studies of emotion. While these all have merit, the neural basis of emotion has a lot to contribute to our understanding of human emotions. More technical than "The Emotional Brain", by Joseph LeDoux, nevertheless, this book is comprehensive and still comprehendible. Covering all aspects of a neural basis of emotion from the evolutionary perspective to the most current scientific findings, if you want to know more about the relationship between emotion and the brain, read this book.

It often astonishes me how many of my colleagues continue to argue that emotions are no more than simple reflexes that probably do not even exist in animals. Yet anyone who spends much time with animals constantly observes sophisticated reasoning and highly developed emotions. And it is difficult to try and reduce the sometimes devastating consequences of emotional disturbances in people with mood disorders to a series of reflexes.

Fortunately the understanding of the neurobiology of emotion has taken enormous strides in recent years. Jaak Panksepp, long regarded as one of the leaders in the field, gives us a wonderfully readable account of some of the neurological machinery that helps organize emotion in ALL mammals. For it is becoming clear that emotion is present in every mammal so far studied: even mice show evidence of emotion.

Panksepp includes discussion of arousal and of sleep: this one is of particular importance in the light of the increasing body of clinical work indicating that many mood disorders are secondary to disturbances of sleep, rather than sleep disorders being a consequence of mood disorders. He goes on to discuss systems involved in pleasure and fear, the sources of some forms of anger and rage. He is very good on the neural control of sexuality in animals, as well as the subtle emotions involved maternal care, social loss, and playfulness. The importance of these neurological systems in human beings remains an open question: humans are so astonishingly complex and have so many "extra" dimensions on their behavioral actions, that it is probably unwise to try and reduce these complex behaviors to the firing of groups of neurons.

This focus on the neurobiology of affect is welcome, though it is valuable to remember that emotion can also be conceptualized as irreducible psychological and social functions.

Although this book is eight years old, it remains an excellent foundation and context in which to place more recent books and papers.

See my upcoming detailed review of this book in Journal of Consciousness studies, and in journal of Neuropsychiatry. Brilliant and groundbreaking work on the limbic, midbrain and diencephalic bases for emotion in the brain. Wide ranging, integrative, and a must-buy for any theorist, researcher and student struggling to understand role emotion plays in any global understanding of mind-brain. In years to come, this will undoubtedly be regarded as a classic work. Perhaps the best single synthesis of ideas about the neurobiological and psychological aspects of emotion available.

Panksepp's "Affective Neuroscience" represents a landmark text in this field. It is a concise and readable summary of the relevant science. Panksepp does a laudable job of collecting a wealth of research data, providing a theoretical integration for that data and presenting all of this in an accessible form. The text is aimed at seriously minded students - the level of detail would be off-putting to the casual reader who might be better off with Joseph LeDoux's "Emotional Brain" (though that book is centered mainly around the emotion of fear).

The book is broken up into three main sections. The first section offers a general conceptual background (including a nice review of relevant neuroanatomy, neurochemistry and neurophysiology), along with an outline of a coherent research strategy. Panksepp calls for a research program that unites behavioral, cognitive/psychological and neuroscientific approaches in the study of mind. While the subject of emotion is capable of being approached from several different levels of analysis, he holds that the brain-systems level represents a `gold standard'. Thus the majority of research presented in "Affective Neuroscience" has been gathered from animal research utilizing brain stimulation (electrical and chemical), as well as lesion studies. Relevant data from human experiments is also presented. One of the major advantages of animal experiments is that they permit for the use of invasive techniques and thus for causal links to be established as opposed to the correlational nature of human imaging studies. Also, given the largely sub-neocortical nature of emotional processes and the remarkable prevalence of evolutionary homologues in the ancient divisions of the neuro-axis (homologues in neuroanatomy as well as in neurochemistry), generalizations can often be made from other mammals to humans.

Panksepp takes the not-so-controversial point of view that emotional packages are evolutionarily derived operating systems with their own intrinsic forms of organization. The kinds of environmental challenges faced by our mammalian ancestors (e.g., the need to avoid threats, to seek out mates) necessitated very specific modifications of the nervous system and the `discovery' of basic `emotion organ systems' via the blind algorithmic processes of natural selection. Panksepp feels that adequate neuroanatomical, neurochemical and neurophysiological knowledge has been obtained to substantiate the delineation of several fundamental emotional operating systems (covered in the rest of the book): SEEKING, RAGE, FEAR and PANIC, along with the more pro-social circuits of LUST, CARE and PLAY. Most of these circuitries are hierarchically situated in brainstem, paleocortical and limbic areas. The identified emotional circuits have central integrating functions capable of recruiting and modulating various perceptual and cognitive resources `above' and visceral motor outputs `below'; they coordinate the full `orchestra' of emotional responses. Once activated each of these modules includes specific behavioral tendencies, modes of cognitive processing and subjective tone. The subjective tone represents a primodial form of consciousness that maps the relation between the self and the environment.

Panksepp insists that this ancient affective consciousness is not just a simple epiphenomenon of neural activity (i.e., not just froth) but that it has a definite functional role. He sees the importance of this affective experiential dimension as providing the organism with a kind of coding system (e.g., it codes objects/events as either biologically useful or harmful)which assists in the maintenance and calibration of long term behavioral strategies. For instance, he uses the example of how the subjective experience of the color red in primates is not just an epiphenomenon but that it actively controls behavior in so far as the color red can be used as a means of judging the ripeness of fruit.

In emphasizing the importance of these raw feels Panksepp takes a position that is contrary to majority opinion; many investigators view animals as automata and although they readily grant that they are fully capable of emotional expression they are more hesitant about granting them internal emotional experience. The point of contention is where to place affective experience along the vertical dimension of the neuro-axis. While some investigators (e.g., LeDoux, Damasio) essentially hold that elaboration of the phenomenological feel of emotional states does not occur below telencephalic areas, Panksepp claims that these `primary-process' raw feeling states are organized at midbrain levels.

While some portions of the book are highly speculative, Panksepp generally acknowledges this. The only way for a young science to progress is by being speculative and Panksepp proves himself to be an original thinker. One would think that this book provides a lot of useful information for evolutionary psychological theories . It approaches the themes explored by evolutionary psychology from a brain science perspective rather than from the cognitive/computational perspective. There are also plenty of clinical implications as Panksepp explores the way in which the major emotional circuitries can become dysregulated in psychiatric disorders. There are also interesting links with other theorists - for example, much like Damasio, Panksepp stresses the importance of the brain's body maps in the foundation of consciousness. An updated version of the text would be welcome.

As the parent of a son with autism trying to understand his social and emotional deficits, I found this book to be clear and to provide an extremely useful framework for understanding emotions. It will be useful to any reader who wants a deeper and more accurate picture of emotions than is presented in popular treatments of the topic. It also gives a clear sense of how far research has yet to go to give us some of the answers we most want. Although I am sure it is dated (as of this writing), the introductory chapters do a wonderful job of placing the author's work in the context of other areas of research and other views within the same areas, describing what he sees as the strengths and weaknesses of each position.

i came across the author through a news article in the new york times about laughing rats. they had a link to his paper, which i found fascinating, so i ordered his book. i have no education in science, so i'm interested in the material but i haven't anything more than a high school science education from the mid-1960s, so all this molecular stuff is frightfully difficult for me to internalize. Some of this text is totally gobbledygook for me. There are so many italicized words and those bizarre brain locations i would have needed a pen and pad to actually locate the semantics of those sentences. but when i can get through all that, i find his hypothesis and evidence quite compelling. i've read le doux because he's very simple in his explanations, and in this text he is critized for his dismissal of the limbic system. this book's central thesis is that the "triune" brain represents an evolutionary progression, with primal emotions [anger, fear, "seeking"] an early aspect of nervous systems that conserves across all vertebrates. then he discusses the mroe social behaviors located within the old mammalian brain which we share with other mammals, etc. he provides a molecular description of neurochemical circuits. i am learning a lot, and there is much food for thought. i have no idea, i am not capable of judging whether or not his work and conclusions are valid. I can't tell you whether this book is good science or not. but to me this stuff is important to try to understand, and i think this book brings an important viewpoint to the table that i personally sympathize with and so i choose to accept it -- it fits my biases. i don't know what's true, but at this by reading this, at least i feel like i am beginning to understand the nature of what it really means to be human. so this book is central to my attemp to understand what it means to be alive.

The information in Affective Neuroscience covers all information from a evolutionary perspective including literature from birds and mammals. In every case human responses, regions of the brain, etc. are the same or very similar. One of the most interesting inclusions is the information about mental disorders associated with improper functions of the receptors described. The synthesis of material is very good, although the author is not a succint writer. The
most thought-provoking section of each chapter is the last section, Afterthought of the author.

I recommend this book as a resource, but recent PET Scan information would improve the relevance of this book Perhaps the author can add an addendum to each chapter or better yet, write a new version of this very valuable book.

As noted by other reviewers, this book does a laudable job covering a broad range of material. It is a comprehensive look at the neural underpinning of emotions. It details countless animal studies of the neural foundation of emotion, and does an excellent job of applying these to humans.

So why only 3 stars? First, although this is no fault of the author, the quality of the printing was shockingly poor. This is the first acedemic tome I have encountered where the poor presentation seriously interfered with my ability to enjoy the work. This book deserves better. Second, the author frequently wanders off topic into side issues or just plain opinions.

I found the last chapter of particular interest, although it is a stretch to say it is about affect. The final chapter discusses the author's theory about consciousness and self. He has an interesting approach, which I found quite similar to Antonio Damasio's somatic marker theory. I found it curious that the author did not refer to Damasio's theory, or explain how it differed from his own. Given the comprehensive approach of the rest of book, I would be surprised if this was an oversight.

Detailed investigation into the biology of emotions. Evolutionary basis. Discusses the drive to seek things (such as food), as seperate from the drive to consume (or otherwise use) the thing once found. Implications for positive outlook.

Emotion is one of those left-aside topics in neuroscience and cognitive science. Research are facinated by memory, learning, attention, consciousness even, but until lately, emotion was only discussed in passing. This book tries to change all that, but maybe seems to take it to far at times, placing emotion as THE fundamental aspect of cognition. Now, there is no question that emotion is not just another "quale", or a "coloring" of experience, but a dynamic, multifaceted, evolutionary ancient and complex system. But I doubt it will turn out to be the key to explaining all of cognitive abilities, lower, or higher. Obviously emotion was there before higher executive control, but this does not mean the latter can be reduced to the former (not that Panksepp explicitly claims this). IT is very interesting however, to see that emotion may play a big part in the phenomenon of consicousness (see for example Damasios books, or Douglas Watts work).

Panksepp mainly argues for a subcortical, hypothalamic and midbrain, and neurochemical substrate of emotion. The amygdala (set as the seat of emotion in LeDouxs "the emotional brain") regulates the expression of emotion, but the real players are lower systems, in midbriain mainly. The same goes to putative cingulate cortex theories of emotion. For Panksepp, the midbrain is the essential structure for the creation of emotion. These issues are taken up on the first section on the book But the grander picture in all of this is that it is clear that there must be an integration between cognition and emotion.

The second section of the book deals with emotional primitives, and vigilance and regulatory states. The emotional primitives and the value that is attached to emotional states, again, depend on midbrain structures, and are very sensitive to neuromodulation. Pnaksepp deals with emotional primitives like playfulness, fear, sexual behaviour, bonding etc.. and gives their neuroanatomical and neurochemical correlates. The last section has a similar outline, but deals with the social emotions. This is all presennted in textbook form, which is good for clarity. However, it seems that at times there is way too much speculation, and that emotion seems to play a part of everything else in the brain. For example, Panksepp speculates that emotion somehow places the organizing framework for consciousness, and that some kind of representation of self is needed for the experience of emotion. This is very interesting, but highly speculative. Panksepp also argues for regulatory and midbrain structures in the creation of a primitive sense of self (strikingly similar to Damasios "proto-self"ideas).

In closing, Panksepps book is essetnial reading for anyone interested in cognition. Emotion should not, and cannot be left out if one wants to understand cognition. IT covers a lot of ground in emotion neuroscience but also speculates in its role in a global integrated model of cognition, the self and even consicousness. This is actually all warranted and welcome speculation, but not clearly prudent. I think that emotion should be placed in its rightful place in the cognitive hierarchy, but I do not think that it is at the top.