Way way back,Karl Lashley wrote about the search for a memory engram.Thanks to Davtd and David for responding to my post re pleasure centers in the brain.Like Lashley, it appears that there is not one specific area but pleasure centers appear to be scattered throughout the brain.But I do take issue with the stereotaxic implants and the subsequent electrical stimulation (ESB).It is true that the experimental rats will bar press excessively indicating " I feel good". But some experimental paradigms have had rats crossing electrical grids for brain stimulation.What role does the escape situation plays in affecting bar presses for ESB is not gone intoI am not sure if it can be concluded that this indicates a specific regiobal stimulation or an irridiating effect on the whole brain . If my memory serves me right (no pun intended) -in an ironic twist- Penfield at MCGill was able to map specific locations in the brain where specific memories were stored.But he kept thebrain intact. I think that ESB of animals,though narrow,does not account for all what may be impactrd in the brain; for examples,it is assumrd that one reason we get pleasure from drugs is that drugs affect the same areas of the brain as food and sex.Maybe drugs do affect the same areas but they are by no means equal pleasures especially when we consider that different drugs have different effects on the brain be it heroin,cocaine,alcohol,Acapulco gold,Cambodian,and others. What is not noted in these animal and human studies is the role of human cognition in assessing pleasure and this is beyond stimulation.
Michael "omnicentric" Sylvester,PhD Daytona Beach,Florida --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=3089 or send a blank email to leave-3089-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
