A chemical that makes you happy can be a sobering reminder of how human beings are closely related to other forms of life on the planet. A herd of cows lying in a field chew their cud contentedly, exude unmistakable signs of contentment and well being.
A substance known as serotonin is responsible for the feelings of well-being experienced alike by people and cows. A cheerful family gathered around a table loaded with roast beef and Yorkshire pudding will be influenced by the same chemicals as the contended cow.
Even more humbling is the recent knowledge acquired concerning the brain chemistry of creatures very low down on the chain of being. Social hierarchies exist in creatures as low down as lobsters and fruit flies, as in human society. The blood chemistry of a mouse has been found to influence its social mobility and its social position in a group.
The notion of God making human beings quite above other earthly creatures is called into question by recently acquired knowledge. Although serotonin is found mostly in the gut, the production process starts in the brains of both lobsters and human beings. As in the case of lobsters, emotional control may be beyond our control.
Messages passed between cells in the brain regulate the composition of many substances affecting human behavior. If there is too little serotonin the mood of an individual can become depressed and if the supply is good a person, or a mouse, feels cheerful and competent. It is sleep in the correct amount and of the appropriate quality that results in feelings of well being. Lack of restful sleep is depressing.
Moods like depression can be difficult to control because they are the consequences of chemical compositions in the bloodstream. A person may not even be aware of the sensual inputs sending messages from his brain to his bloodstream and making it difficult to obtain the quality of sleep needed. However experiencing things such as beauty and softness can yield a chemical that makes you happy.
A substance known as serotonin is responsible for the feelings of well-being experienced alike by people and cows. A cheerful family gathered around a table loaded with roast beef and Yorkshire pudding will be influenced by the same chemicals as the contended cow.
Even more humbling is the recent knowledge acquired concerning the brain chemistry of creatures very low down on the chain of being. Social hierarchies exist in creatures as low down as lobsters and fruit flies, as in human society. The blood chemistry of a mouse has been found to influence its social mobility and its social position in a group.
The notion of God making human beings quite above other earthly creatures is called into question by recently acquired knowledge. Although serotonin is found mostly in the gut, the production process starts in the brains of both lobsters and human beings. As in the case of lobsters, emotional control may be beyond our control.
Messages passed between cells in the brain regulate the composition of many substances affecting human behavior. If there is too little serotonin the mood of an individual can become depressed and if the supply is good a person, or a mouse, feels cheerful and competent. It is sleep in the correct amount and of the appropriate quality that results in feelings of well being. Lack of restful sleep is depressing.
Moods like depression can be difficult to control because they are the consequences of chemical compositions in the bloodstream. A person may not even be aware of the sensual inputs sending messages from his brain to his bloodstream and making it difficult to obtain the quality of sleep needed. However experiencing things such as beauty and softness can yield a chemical that makes you happy.
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