"The Neuroscience of Happiness"

I just watched a primetime University of Wisconsin promo titled "The Neuroscience of Happiness." It showcased UW scientist Richard Davidson and his work on emotion. His soft and caring voice explained that he and his associates have established a rigorous method to scientifically investigate the mind-body connection. Scenes shifted back and forth between Davidson and smiling happy people with wires covering their heads, lots of computer animations, and some truly beautiful three-dimensional brain scan images. The technology is amazing. Research into the connections between mind and body might lead to important insights and advances in mental and physical health.

Davidson says that already they have shown that a happy mood is conductive to good health. Davidson came across in the commercial like someone wanting to help everyone achieve a happy life. He claims to have discovered that mediation can improve many areas of health. If he is right that happy thoughts promote heath and that sad, angry thoughts can impair health, then he’s killing me and many of my friends.

That’s right, killing me.

Even though the title of the three-minute UW commercial was the "Neuroscience of Happiness," Davidson’s professional life has been spent frightening baby monkeys. If his predecessor, Harry Harlow, had not shown unequivocally that young monkeys and young humans suffer similarly, this might not be such a big deal; maybe I could sleep at night.

But literally decades of scientific evidence has shown repeatedly that the minds and emotions of monkeys and humans are of a like kind. It is precisely this similarity that Davidson and other researchers claim as a justification for their experiments on these animals.

Consider the titles of just a few of Davidson’s recent scientific publications:

Brain regions associated with the expression and contextual regulation of anxiety in primates. (2005)

Calling for help is independently modulated by brain systems underlying goal-directed behavior and threat perception. (a baby monkey study, 2005)

The role of the central nucleus of the amygdala in mediating fear and anxiety in the primate. (2004)

Of the approximately 200 papers written or co-authored by Davidson that are indexed by the National Library of Medicine, the overwhelming majority are papers about fear, anxiety, and other negative affective states. Essentially none of his peer reviewed published work addresses happiness.

And yet, the three-minute UW commercial was all about happiness and the power of meditation. Not one monkey was seen. Not one baby monkey was shown frozen with fear at being confronted with a snake.

With a snake.

That’s just one of the ways that Davidson tries to frighten the baby monkeys. But listen to this: He and his long-time coauthor, Ned Kalin, discovered a genetic subset of monkeys particularly anxiety-prone. These monkeys have become the target of their fear studies. They experimentally damage the parts of their brains thought to be involved in the regulation of basic emotion and then measure how less frightened they are compared to monkeys who have not been brain damaged.

Learning what people like Davidson are doing to the monkeys and to the other animals at the UW – day in and day out – has filled my life with much pain and lots of anxiety. My knowledge has become a barrier to enjoying life. I no longer teach, draw, hike, or do much of anything for fun; and I drink more.

If Davidson was genuine or if the UW was forthcoming and actively engaged in public discussion about their use of animals, maybe I could find some happiness. Honesty would be refreshing. But he isn’t and they’re not. Instead, completely misleading promos are made to keep the public confused and sleepy.

If sadness makes one ill, then Davidson’s work is probably hurting everyone who knows what he does and cares even a little.

Thanks for that, Richard. You are one caring guy.