Animal psychodietetics

Abstract

ABSTRACTAt present, behaviour and diet are linked in psychodietetics which, in turn, correlates to food quality and animal wellbeing, as well as to specific behavioural problems. Several studies indicate that food should be ascribed diverse effects, such as nutritional, pharmacological, toxic and extranutritional. Some of these actions affect behaviour. Particular attention was recently devoted to relationships linking flavours, pheromones and behaviour, as well as to neurological pathologies associated with nutrition and depending on diet disorders.Many studies are at present being conducted on the relationship between nutrition, neurotransmitter synthesis and neurohormonal system activity, with relative behavioural changes. In particular, data were collected on the relationship between nutrition and aggressiveness, nutrition and psychoses, nutrition and dyskinesiae, nutrition and alimentary behaviour (control of food intake) in carnivorous domestic animals. Recently, studies on the relationship between nutrition and nervous system growth and early life behaviour were carried out, focusing on domestic carnivores. Pets' nutrition involves a broader significance than was given by traditional dietetics, including the man‐animal relationship. From this new viewpoint, many ‘parallel pathologies’ affecting the pets and their owners (obesity, hyperkinesia, aggressiveness, etc) are better interpreted.