Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Animal Pleasure And Its Moral Significance, Jonathan Balcombe May 2009

Animal Pleasure And Its Moral Significance, Jonathan Balcombe

Sentience Collection

This paper presents arguments for, and evidence in support of, the important role of pleasure in animals’ lives, and outlines its considerable significance to humankind’s relationship to other animals. In the realms of animal sentience, almost all scholarly discussion revolves around its negative aspects: pain, stress, distress, and suffering. By contrast, the positive aspects of sentience – rewards and pleasures – have been rarely broached by scientists. Yet, evolutionary principles predict that animals, like humans, are motivated to seek rewards, and not merely to avoid pain and suffering. Natural selection favours behaviours that enhance survival and procreation. In the conscious, …


A Hypomorphic Vasopressin Allele Prevents Anxiety-Related Behavior, Mirjam Bunck, Ludwig Czibere, Charlotte Horvath, Cornelia Graf, Elisabeth T. Frank, Melanie S. Kebler, Chris Murgatroyd, Bertram Muller-Myhsok, Mariya Gonik, Peter Weber, Benno Putz, Patrik Muigg, Markus Panhuysen, Nicolas Singewald, Thomas Bettecken, Jan M. Deussing, Florian Holsboer, Dietmar Spengler, Rainer Landgraf Jan 2009

A Hypomorphic Vasopressin Allele Prevents Anxiety-Related Behavior, Mirjam Bunck, Ludwig Czibere, Charlotte Horvath, Cornelia Graf, Elisabeth T. Frank, Melanie S. Kebler, Chris Murgatroyd, Bertram Muller-Myhsok, Mariya Gonik, Peter Weber, Benno Putz, Patrik Muigg, Markus Panhuysen, Nicolas Singewald, Thomas Bettecken, Jan M. Deussing, Florian Holsboer, Dietmar Spengler, Rainer Landgraf

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

In this study, microarray analysis, in situ hybridization, quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry revealed decreased expression of the vasopressin gene (Avp) in the hypothalamic paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei of adult LAB mice compared to HAB, NAB (normal anxiety-related behavior) and HABxLAB F1 intercross controls, without detecting differences in receptor expression or density. By sequencing the regions 2.5 kbp up- and downstream of the Avp gene locus, we could identify several polymorphic loci, differing between the HAB and LAB lines. In the gene promoter, a deletion of twelve bp Δ(−2180–2191) is particularly likely to contribute to the reduced Avp …