Emotions In Animals Research Articles

Do I sound anxious? Emotional arousal is linked to changes in vocalisations in domestic chicks (Gallus gallus dom.)

A major goal in animal welfare science is the development of methods that quantify or ‘read-out’ current affective states in freely behaving animals. In mammalian models, changes in acoustic parameters within vocalisations have been linked to differences in emotional arousal, although there are very few studies showing changes in vocalisations that act as indicators of valence (positive or negative affect). Currently, there are very few studies on vocal indicators of emotion in birds. To determine the link between acoustic parameters within vocalisations and emotion in domestic chicks (Gallus gallus dom.), we used a well-validated paradigm that purports to elicit two distinct, negative emotional states: anxiety and depression. In this paradigm, chicks in social isolation initially show high rates of distress calls (anxiety-like phase: high arousal/negative affect) that decrease over the next 20–30 minutes to a depression-like phase (low arousal/negative affect). We analysed acoustic parameters of distress vocalisations from Legbar chicks (4–7 days old) that were placed in social isolation for 30 minutes, either with or without a mirror (Isolated: n=18; Mirror: n=16), (a mirror is known to reduce the negative behavioural and physiological indicators of isolation). Chicks in the Isolated condition produced louder calls, of a higher frequency, and calls were individually longer, and more ‘degraded’ (higher entropy and lower harmonics-to-noise ratio) compared to the Mirror condition. However, the call rate did not drop below 50 % of the initial rate in either condition, indicating the chicks in this study did not reach the criteria for the depression-like phase of the paradigm. To investigate further we analysed vocalisations at times during a trial when calls were at a high rate per minute (indicating a higher level of emotional arousal at that point in time) and we found those vocalisations were louder, more ‘degraded’, longer and higher in frequency across both conditions. These results are consistent with findings across several species of mammal, indicating that changes in emotional arousal in negatively valanced situations give rise to consistent changes in vocal parameters across a wide range of species. Indeed, further work could look to see if the same links are found in groups such as chelonians, crocodilians and geckos, as their vocal production mechanisms share some similarities. There could also be scope to use these changes to automatically detect shifts in emotion in captive animals.

"Animality runs right through the human being". Interview with Anne Simon

Zoopoetics studies the diversity of stylistic, linguistic and narrative means used to convey the diversity of animal emotions and behaviour, as well as the diversity of their worlds. How does this field of research fit in with environmental literary studies? How does zoopoetics help to renew the ways in which literature is studied, from school to university? Director of research at the CNRS, Anne Simon is a French researcher in literary and philosophical studies. A specialist in Proust, she has focused her work on the living and animality in literature, developing the field of zoopoetics research. Her publications include Une bête entre les lignes. Essai de zoopoétique (Marseille, Wildproject, 2021). She is in charge of the 'Animots' research programme, funded by the ANR between 2010 and 2014 and now supported by the République des savoirs unit (CNRS/ENS/Collège de France - PSL).

Wizja wiejskiego krajobrazu w noweli bułgarskiej przełomu XIX i XX wieku

The rural landscape in the stories mentioned here is not idyllic, because even the descriptions of spring that fill with positive emotions show the temporary nature, because the inhabitants have time to contemplate the landscape only because of the church holiday. It seems interesting that in this affirmation of the world of nature, the characters see numerous parallels between humans and other species inhabiting the globe. This is, of course, a clear allusion to the works of Charles Darwin, in particular On the Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals (1872), in which the English researcher proved that we are really not much different from other creatures. The theory of evolution has revised the notion of nature into which man has been drawn, becoming part of a global spectacle in which some beings perish and then others take their place.

Music and Emotions in Non-Human Animals from Biological and Comparative Perspectives.

The effects of sound stimulation as a sensorial environmental enrichment for captive animals have been studied. When appropriately implemented for farm animals, it can improve welfare, health, and productivity. Furthermore, there are indications that music can induce positive emotions in non-human animals, similar to humans. Emotion is a functional state of the organism involving both physiological processes, mediated by neuroendocrine regulation, and changes in behavior, affecting various aspects, including contextual perception and welfare. As there is very limited information on non-human animals, the objective of this review is to highlight what is known about these processes from human biological and comparative perspectives and stimulate future research on using music to improve animal welfare.

INFLUENCE OF LOPHANTHUS CHINENSIS DRY EXTRACT ON THE MORPHOFUNCTIONAL STATE OF WISTAR RATS THE BRAIN DURING LONG-TERM ALCOHOLIZATION

The study purpose – to evaluate the effect of the Lophanthus chinensis dry extract on the Wistar rats brain morphofunctional state against the back-ground of long-term alcoholization. Material and methods. Alcohol intoxication was induced by long-term administration (6 weeks) of 40% ethanol in rats. Lophanthus chinensis dry ex-tract at a dose of 100 mg/kg was administered from the 3rd week of the experiment. On days 42-45, the animals were tested in an "open field", an el-evated plus maze, and they developed a conditioned passive avoidance reaction. After which a neurons pathomorphological study in the cerebral cor-tex was carried out. Results. It has been established that L. chinensis dry extract exhibits a neuroprotective effect during long-term alcohol intoxication, preventing the de-velopment of structural disorders in the cerebral cortex, thereby reducing anxiety and emotionality in animals, enhancing orientation-exploratory activity and normalizing mnestic functions. Conclusion. L. chinensis dry extract has a neuroprotective effect during long-term alcohol intoxication.

Affective Neuroscience: Jaak Panksepp's ‘rat tickling theory of emotion’

SUMMARY This article reviews the seminal work of Jaak Panksepp: Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions. It outlines the basis of his theory of Basic Emotional Command Systems as common to all mammals and goes on to specify some of the key fields that have grown out of his research.

The Effect of Climate And Environment on Human Mental State and Health

Altitude is one of the best-affecting structural factors in the Earth's environment. The access to all-around temperatures has led to abundant challenges for animal health. Addressing ecology issues through temperature abridgment and after the convalescent animal bloom has become one of the most important apropos in avant-garde times, accessible through ecology and basal changes. Air, one of the bristles' capital elements (air, water, food, heat, and light) for animal survival, is of accurate importance. On a boilerplate day, an animal requires about 14,000 liters (14 cubic meters) of air. Typically, an animal can survive up to 5 weeks after aliment and up to 5 canicule after water, but after air, adaptation is bound to bald minutes. Climatology encompasses an ample ambit of studies, not alone aural the branch of atmospheric science but additionally involving animal ecology concerns. This cogent anatomy of ability can ascendancy assorted animal needs, such as food, energy, health, concrete and brainy well-being, and more. This analysis was conducted through a library abstraction method. Based on the afterward titles and keywords, an array of sources, including acceptable anesthetic books and accessories about the anniversary of the acute apparatus such as air pressure, temperature, humidity, sunlight radiation, wind, and rainfall's appulse on brainy and cerebral bloom and diseases, were studied. It appears that climate, which includes assorted elements such as wind, rain, and snow, can comedy a cogent role in animal emotions. Given that these accustomed phenomena accept altered furnishings in our lives, anecdotic them can accord to convalescent brainy and cerebral altitude in our circadian lives.

Examining personality dimensions in rats using a caregiver questionnaire

Measures of individual behavioural differences (personality) are highly valuable in many areas of ethology, particularly studies of animal emotion and welfare. However, there are limitations to current behavioural tests of personality. Caregiver questionnaires may provide a complementary approach to overcome some of these limitations and provide a richer insight into personality. Drawing on previous studies, we developed a questionnaire in which caregivers were asked to rate the extent to which a given adjective/term described a rat under their care. We then used factor analysis to identify personality dimensions and assess whether those dimensions mapped to rat sex, rat age, number of companions, predator exposure, or owner experience. We obtained usable data from 296 rat caregivers and identified six personality dimensions: tameness, shyness, liveliness, interspecific sociability, inquisitiveness, aggressiveness. These dimensions are, with the exception of ‘inquisitiveness’, in line with previous studies and the broader literature on personality in non-human animals. With the exception of shyness, which was significantly associated with sex and owner experience, we found no strong evidence for a relationship between the personality dimensions and age, sex, number of companions, predator exposure, or owner experience. Although there remain important issues to be answered by future research, such as whether there is interobserver agreement in personality ratings and the extent to which the personality ratings are repeatable over time, the present study indicates that questionnaires of caregivers could in future provide a valuable tool to assess personality in rats.

Roles of Nutrients in the Brain Development, Cognitive Function, and Mood of Dogs and Cats.

The brain is the central commander of all physical activities and the expression of emotions in animals. Its development and cognitive health critically depend on the neural network that consists of neurons, glial cells (namely, non-neuronal cells), and neurotransmitters (communicators between neurons). The latter include proteinogenic amino acids (e.g., L-glutamate, L-aspartate, and glycine) and their metabolites [e.g., γ-aminobutyrate, D-aspartate, D-serine, nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, and monoamines (e.g., dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and serotonin)]. In addition, some non-neurotransmitter metabolites of amino acids, such as taurine, creatine, and carnosine, also play important roles in brain development, cognitive health, behavior, and mood of dogs and cats. Much evidence shows that cats require dietary ω3 (α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid) and ω6 (linoleic acid and arachidonic acid) polyunsaturated fatty acids for the development of the central nervous system. As an essential component of membranes of neurons and glial cells, cholesterol is also crucial for cognitive development and function. In addition, vitamins and minerals are required for the metabolism of AAs, lipids, and glucose in the nervous system, and also act as antioxidants. Thus, inadequate nutrition will lead to mood disorders. Some amino acids (e.g., arginine, glycine, methionine, serine, taurine, tryptophan, and tyrosine) can help to alleviate behavioral and mood disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety and aggression). As abundant providers of all these functional amino acids and lipids, animal-sourced foods (e.g., liver, intestinal mucosa, and meat) play important roles in brain development, cognitive function, and mood of dogs and cats. This may explain, in part, why dogs and cats prefer to eat visceral organs of their prey. Adequate provision of nutrients in all phases of the life cycle (pregnancy, lactation, postnatal growth, and adulthood) is essential for optimizing neurological health, while preventing cognitive dysfunction and abnormal behavior.

Trait sensitivity to stress and cognitive bias processes in fish: A brief overview.

Like other animals, fish have unique personalities that can affect their cognition and responses to environmental stressors. These individual personality differences are often referred to as "behavioural syndromes" or "stress coping styles" and can include personality traits such as boldness, shyness, aggression, exploration, locomotor activity, and sociability. For example, bolder or proactive fish may be more likely to take risks and present lower hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal/interrenal axis reactivity as compared to shy or reactive individuals. Likewise, learning and memory differ between fish personalities. Reactive or shy individuals tend to have faster learning and better association recall with aversive stimuli, while proactive or bold individuals tend to learn more quickly when presented with appetitive incentives. However, the influence of personality on cognitive processes other than cognitive achievement in fish has been scarcely explored. Cognitive bias tests have been employed to investigate the interplay between emotion and cognition in both humans and animals. Fish present cognitive bias processes (CBP) in which fish's interpretation of stimuli could be influenced by its current emotional state and open to environmental modulation. However, no study in fish has explored whether CBP, like in other species, can be interpreted as long-lasting traits and whether other individual characteristics may explain its variation. We hold the perspective that CBP could serve as a vulnerability factor for the onset, persistence, and recurrence of stress-related disorders. Therefore, studying fish's CBP as a state or trait and its interactions with individual variations may be valuable in future efforts to enhance our understanding of anxiety and stress neurobiology in animal models and humans.

THE EFFECT OF CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT ON HUMAN MENTAL STATE AND HEALTH

Height is one of the structural factors that most influences the earth's environment. Access to varying temperatures has created many challenges for animal health. Addressing ecological problems through temperature reduction and subsequent recovery of animal growth has become one of the most important topics of modern times, accessible through ecology and fundamental change. Climatology covers many fields of study, not only within the branch of atmospheric science but also involving issues of animal ecology. This significant form of intelligence can control various human needs, such as food, energy, health, physical and mental well-being, and much more. This analysis was carried out through the library abstraction method. Based on the following titles and keywords, various sources, including acceptable anesthesia books and accessories about the anniversary of acute equipment such as air pressure, temperature, humidity, solar radiation, wind, and the influence of rainfall on brain and brain health and disease, studied. It appears that climate, which includes elements such as wind, rain, and snow, can play an influential role in animal emotions. Considering that these natural phenomena have different environments in our lives, considering them can contribute to improving the quality of the brain and brain in our daily life.

Body in Mind

In the last few decades, emotion became one of the central topics in many scientific disciplines. Neuroscientific research has developed many tools and approaches for studying emotions in humans and animals. In this regard, the work of Antonio Damasio has been important for uncovering physiological mechanisms of emotions and feelings and their role in homeostatic regulation. In some aspects, his theory has challenged our own everyday intuitions about what emotions are. The aim of this article is to show that Damasio’s account of affects has underlined the importance of the body in generating feelings and subjective conscious experience and that this view of the two-way communication between the body and brain can offer a fresh perspective on the mind-body problem.

Evaluate Emotional State Based on Temperature Readings

Abstract Infrared thermography (IRT) allows visualization of temperature changes within the body system of animals due to emotional changes in a fearful situation such as facing an unknown person in their flight distance. Infrared thermography is becoming popular in the research of animal emotions as an objective measure. Stress stimulants activate the autonomic nervous system to secrete adrenaline, which causes the blood vessels to tighten and increase blood flow throughout the body. Infrared thermography quantifies the heat radiation emitted from the body’s surface, which fluctuates depending on the flow of blood below the skin. It has been discovered through a number of studies that IRT of the eyes of lactating dairy cows can more accurately predict their emotional responses than the commonly used rectal temperature and/or other behavioural measures. The IRT of eyes showed the potential to predict negative emotional responses in association with laterality testing, flight speed, waiting time, and other behaviours such as sniffing. The IRT of the eye was a repeatable measure, while rectal temperature was not. Information © The Author 2023

Human and Non-Human Consciousness: Do They Share Common Characteristics?

This study examines the possible common characteristics between human and non-human consciousness. It mainly addresses animal consciousness and, to a certain extent, intelligent AI. It provides an overview of the main theories regarding consciousness, more specifically those of neuroscience and cognitive science, and also their materialistic base at a neuroanatomical and neurophysiological level, emphasizing the role the prefrontal cortex plays, both in humans and animals. Then, it considers particular aspects of consciousness, such as emotion, and presents the three broad traditions considering human emotions, which are emotions as feelings, evaluations, and judgments, as well as studies on animal emotions. Then, it continues with the proposed models of metacognition and memory to deepen the analysis regarding common characteristics of human and non-human consciousness. It also touches on the platform theory, which may bridge human, animal, and AI consciousness, although this theory is under consideration. It ends with references to animals’ social behavior, their interactions with humans, their possible ontogenic proximity as expressed in biolinguistics, and the findings of computational ethology, which help to establish models of mental human disorders. The study concludes that findings support proximities between humans and animals, consciousness at the level of neurophysiology, and emotion and metacognition. Contrary to animals and AI, human consciousness is more complicated and far from cybernetic and computational models since it is linked with various kinds of malleability, reconsolidation, neural plasticity, different conceptions of emotions, and certain mental pathologies.

Vocal Cues to Assess Arousal State of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops spp.) Involved in Public Presentations

Emotions in animals may be expressed by arousal and understanding this often relies upon the monitoring of their behaviour. Under human care, animals’ arousal states may be linked to husbandry decisions, whereby animals may display arousal responses to scheduled events such as feeding and human interaction. Here, we investigate vocal correlates of arousal associated with public presentations of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) in human care by comparing vocal production rates and characteristics between high and low arousal contexts. Elevated arousal during the day compared with overnight was characterised by increased signature and non-signature whistle production. High intensity broadband crack vocalisations were produced less than whistles during the day and did not correlate with increased arousal around presentation times. Three of ten dolphins increased signature whistle production before and/or after presentation sessions, indicating elevated arousal and variation in individual responses. Many individuals elevated minimum frequency and suppressed maximum frequency of signature whistles in a way that correlated with higher arousal contexts, indicating that these may therefore be good indicators of changes in arousal state. Overall, our study demonstrates that passive acoustic monitoring can provide a useful indication of arousal linked to husbandry decisions, and that individual variation in vocal responses, likely linked to personality, is important to consider.

Behavioral Characterization of an Angelman Syndrome Mouse Model.

This manuscript describes a battery of behavioral tests available to characterize Angelman syndrome (AS)-like phenotypes in an established murine model of AS. We use the rotarod learning paradigm, detailed gait analysis, and nest building test to detect and characterize animal motor impairments. We test animal emotionality in the open field and elevated plus maze tests, as well as the affect in the tail suspension test. When AS mice are tested in the open field test, the results should be interpreted with care, since motor dysfunctions influence mouse behavior in the maze and alter activity scores. The reproducibility and effectiveness of the presented behavioral tests has already been validated in several independent Uba3a mouse lines with different knockout variants, establishing this set of tests as an excellent validation tool in AS research. Models with the relevant construct and face validity will warrant further investigations to elucidate the pathophysiology of the disease and grant the development of causal treatments.

Genome-Wide Identification of 5-HT Receptor Gene Family in Razor Clam Sinonovacula constricta and Their Circadian Rhythm Expression Analysis.

Serotonin (5-HT) is primarily distributed in the gastrointestinal and central nervous systems, where it plays a crucial role in regulating various physiological functions such as digestion, reproduction and establishing animal emotions. 5-HT is an effective oxytocin widely used in molluscan aquaculture, and its physiological functions are performed by binding to corresponding 5-HT receptors (5-HTRs). In this study, seven 5-HTR genes of Sinonovacula constricta (Sc5-HTRs) were identified and analyzed, and they were designated as Sc5-HT1A, Sc5-HT1D, Sc5-HT2-1, Sc5-HT2-2, Sc5-HT2-3, Sc5-HT4 and Sc5-HT6. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the seven Sc5-HTRs were conserved among mollusks, and the Sc5-HTRs were all transmembrane proteins. The seven Sc5-HTR genes were distributed on chromosome 1, 2, 13 and 14. After injecting 5-HT, there was a significant increase in mRNA expression levels of Sc5-HT1A (p < 0.05) and Sc5-HT2-3 (p < 0.01), while Sc5-HT4 decreased significantly (p < 0.01) compared to control groups which might be effective 5-HT receptors. Furthermore, two of the receptors (Sc5-HT2-3 and Sc5-HT4) were expressed in the circadian rhythm patterns, indicating their potential influence on the nocturnal spawning of S. constricta. Overall, these findings provide a theoretical basis for understanding the structures and functions of 5-HTR gene family members, and may facilitate the artificial propagation of mollusks.

The New Anthropomorphism Debate and Researching Non-Human Animal Emotions: A Kantian Approach

Researchers of non-human animal emotions tend to defend some forms of anthropomorphism and seek ways to make it more critical, self-aware, and useful for scientific purposes. I propose that to achieve this goal, we need first to conduct a Kantian investigation into the deeper structure of anthropomorphism. I argue that we can distinguish at least three levels of anthropomorphising: a narrative level, a cognitive level and an in-between, metatheoretical level which is the deeper structure determining how we anthropomorphise. Because the current debate tends to focus either on the narrative level or on the cognitive level, this paper concentrates on the metatheoretical level, discusses its role in emotion research, the possible errors it may cause, and how we can work on it, drawing on predictive processing-based theories of emotions and an evolutionary approach. The key to being critical in anthropomorphism is to be aware of the complexity of this whole structure, as well as to be able to challenge and put into question all and any of its elements.

Using qualitative behavior assessment to investigate the effect of tourist presence on the welfare in captive tigers (Panthera tigris) in three tourism facilities in Thailand.

Numerous facilities around the world offer tourists interactive experiences with captive tigers. Yet, the animal welfare implications of this practice have not been widely studied. This study aimed to investigate whether qualitative behavioral assessment (QBA) could: (i) provide a valid indicator of tiger's emotional state and (ii) be applied to assess whether unfamiliar human presence with hand-raised captive tigers had an impact on the emotional state of those tigers. To investigate this, QBA was applied to video clips of hand-raised captive tigers from three sites (two offering unfamiliar human interaction, Sites A and C, and one retirement site with no direct interactions, Site B) in Thailand. QBA allows inferences to be made about animal emotion on the basis of descriptions of behavioral expression. Analysis, using a free choice profiling methodology, was provided by observers (N = 38) split between three groups; tiger keepers and vets from the Thai venues (n = 12), UK-based animal behavior MSc and vet students (n = 16), and international tiger keepers (n = 10). Tigers (N = 35) were split between Sites A (n = 7), B (n = 18), and C (n = 10) and filmed at three time points; morning (0800-0930 h); midday, (1130-1230 h); and evening, (1630-1830h) totaling 105 clips. Using generalized procrustes analysis, a consensus profile was calculated for each observer group. Two meaningful dimensions of behavioral expression, explaining 75.0% of the variation, were observed across these groups: Dimension 1 (D1: "active"/"interested"/"agitated" to "relaxed"/"calm"/"chilled-out") and Dimension 2 (D2: "bored"/"stressed"/"frustrated" to "relaxed"/"curious"/"interested"). There was clear agreement between the three observer groups in terms of tiger emotional expression along D1. However, agreement was more variable on D2. The behavioral expression on D1 was not significantly affected by site but was significantly affected by an interaction between age and time of day. Time of day also affected scores on D2, with the Thai observer group also showing an effect of site. During the midday period, when unfamiliar humans were present, all tiger age groups showed more positive behavioral expressions on D1 (lower scores: "relaxed"/"calm"/"chilled-out") and more negative behavioral expressions on D2 (higher scores: "bored"/"stressed"/"frustrated"), which could indicate that the presence of unfamiliar humans was a stressor. However, tigers in the retirement Site C also displayed similar behavioral expressions, which could indicate a deeper welfare issue. With further development, QBA could be used as part of a valid tool for long-term measurement of behavioral expression in captive tigers.

Disputing Darwin: On Piloerection and Mental Illness.

Most of Charles Darwin's ideas have withstood the test of time, but some of them turned out to be dead ends. This article focuses on one such dead end: Darwin's ideas about the connection between piloerection and mental illness. Piloerection is a medical umbrella term to refer to a number of phenomena in which our hair tends to stand on end. Darwin was one of the first scientists to study it systematically. In The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (1872), he discusses piloerection in the context of his analysis of the expressions involved in fear and anger, relying heavily on the evidence provided by one of his correspondents, the British psychiatrist James Crichton Browne. This essay reveals how Darwin's initial doubts about the similarity between piloerection in animals and psychiatric patients were eased when studying photographic portraits of female psychiatric patients sent to him by Crichton Browne. It considers arguments against Darwin's reading of these portraits and the apparent contrast between this reading and his own skepticism, in later years, about the value of documentary photography. The article concludes with some notes regarding the reception of Darwin's ideas about psychopathology.