hello colleagues, I thought you folks would be interested in these exciting developments and understandings in neuroscience as it adds to our knowledge of why it is important to optimise natural oxytocin responses in childbearing women (that's what hypnobirthing does too). The mice are teaching us lots - remember the mother rat licking its pups and subsequent care taking behaviours in the pups?
Neuroscience is helping us take the easily dismissed 'soft' midwifery approach and make it "hard science" :-) and be recognised as essential for the health and wellbeing of society. I've cut and pasted some of the text and you can go to the link for a more expanded version. warmly, Carolyn Hastie "From neuroscience to social science, Institute of Medicine meeting links basic research, health policy, and Law and Order | By Eugene Russo For the first time in its history, the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine (IOM) made mental health a focus of its annual meeting, held Monday and Tuesday (October 27�28) in Washington, DC". "Columbia University neuroscientist and Nobel Laureate Eric Kandel spoke about his lab's work on learning and memory, specifically how a neuronal memory mechanism called long-term potentiation has been associated with fear and anxiety in mouse models. Asked by an attendee how such research might be applied to population-level fear and anxiety such as that seen in places like Israel, Palestine, and post�September 11 New York City, Kandel suggested that neuroscience will one day spawn a field of �molecular sociobiology� that could explain such phenomena (and what about fear of childbirth eh? It's certainly being long term potentiated - my comments, Carolyn). Echoing the notion that basic science has potential social implications, National Institute of Mental Health Director Thomas Insel illustrated how biological studies of autism may be part of a broader, growing �social neuroscience� that would identify targets for mental health treatment. He spoke of investigations into oxytocin, a peptide hormone that in rodents has been shown to play a role in social recognition and pair-bond formation. Because little is known about the biological basis of autism, Insel is looking at mechanisms of social behavior in hopes that they might open a window into social deficits associated with autism, whose hallmarks in humans include minimal language development and lack of social reciprocity". to read more, go to.. http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20031030/01 Heartlogic Consultancy The Bully Busters - creating positive workcultures through improving emotional intelligence MetaSystems Life and Executive Coaching - Essential Skills for the new Millenium Quantum Leadership Strategies Phone +61 2 4389 3919 Fax +61 2 4388 6819 Mobile 0418 428 430 Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] PO Box 5405 Chittaway Bay NSW 2261 Australia -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
