Koshi Murata Division of Brain Structure and Function, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui

Good food and art bring us pleasure and euphoria. Both pleasure and euphoria are important emotional Shitsukan that enrich our lives. However, the neural mechanisms of pleasant emotional experiences in the brain are not well understood. One reason for this lack of understanding is the difficulty in objectively evaluating the pleasantness of emotional experiences. In this study, we aim to elucidate the neural mechanism of pleasant emotions using rats, which can be used for invasive experiments using genetic engineering, and to create an index for objectively evaluating pleasant emotional experiences in animals. We describe the pleasurable emotional experience using the physical responses of facial expressions, autonomic nervous system, and endocrine system when animals experience deliciousness of palatable food. We then address the neural mechanisms involved in pleasurable emotions.