Some investigators have argued that emotions especially animal emotions are illusory concepts
outside the realm of scientific inquiry. However with advances in neurobiology and
neuroscience researchers are demonstrating that this position is wrong as they move closer to
a lasting understanding of the biology and psychology of emotion. In Affective Neuroscience
Jaak Panksepp provides the most up-to-date information about the brain-operating systems that
organize the fundamental emotional tendencies of all mammals. Presenting complex material in a
readable manner the book offers a comprehensive summary of the fundamental neural sources of
human and animal feelings as well as a conceptual framework for studying emotional systems of
the brain. Panksepp approaches emotions from the perspective of basic emotion theory but does
not fail to address the complex issues raised by constructionist approaches. These issues
include relations to human consciousness and the psychiatric implications of this knowledge.
The book includes chapters on sleep and arousal pleasure and fear systems the sources of rage
and anger and the neural control of sexuality as well as the more subtle emotions related to
maternal care social loss and playfulness. Representing a synthetic integration of vast
amounts of neurobehavioral knowledge including relevant neuroanatomy neurophysiology and
neurochemistry this book will be one of the most important contributions to understanding the
biology of emotions since Darwins The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals
