<p>Emotions are often linked to chemical activity in the brain. Neurotransmitters such as serotonin , dopamine, norepinephrine etc are linked to inducing emotional states, therefore if you can take a drug which will increase the amount of a transmitter then you will respond accordingly e.g. MDMA > serotonin > feeling of escstacy/happiness (Meyer &amp; Quenzer, 2013).</p>

<p>In the case of Cholecystokinin (CCK), Singh et al found evidence suggesting that activation of the brain CCK-B receptor induces anxiety and that selective antagonists of this receptor represent a separate class of anxiolytic (relaxing) agents. </p>

<p>Simply:</p>

<ul>
<li>Inject drug  </li>
<li>drug reaches blood brain barrier  </li>
<li>drug crosses or is turned into drug that can cross (e.g. codiene > morphine) </li>
<li>drug turns into neurotransmitter/ or precursor to (e.g. 5HTP > serotonin) </li>
<li>binds to/ activates receptor this activation causes an emotional/physical
response</li>
</ul>

<p>This process varies depending on the drug but that is loosely it as I understand it. Much of this taken from the Meyers textbook, which I read a long time ago so feel free to correct me. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/88/4/1130.full.pdf" rel="nofollow">Singh, L., Lewis, A. S., Field, M. J., Hughes, J., &amp; Woodruff, G. N. (1991). Evidence for an involvement of the brain cholecystokinin B receptor in anxiety. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 88(4), 1130-1133.</a></p>

<p>Meyer, J. S., &amp; Quenzer, L. F. (2013). Psychopharmacology: Drugs, the brain, and behavior.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-28T17:30:58.673Z
Perfect, that is exactly the kind of answer that I was looking for!
Ebbinghaus
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-29T01:38:19.220Z
"binds to/ activates receptor this activation causes an emotional/physical response"  <-- this part is a little vague ;)
mrt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-29T06:30:56.813Z
haha yeah I guess could add more detail but I think simplification is ok here?
queenslug
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-28T15:21:36.077Z
2016-09-28T15:21:36.077Z
queenslug
<p><strong>Background</strong></p>

<p>I recently read a paper <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1415404?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents" rel="nofollow">(The James-Lange theory of emotions: a critical examination and an alternative theory</a>), in which the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James%E2%80%93Lange_theory" rel="nofollow">James-Lange Theory</a> was challenged by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Bradford_Cannon" rel="nofollow">Walter Bradford Cannon</a>. </p>

<p>Hence it was stated that:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>{Emotional responses can be distinguished by on the basis of autonomic activity., emotions were less intense when the brain was disconnected from the viscera} ... Some artificial manipulations of organ activity can induce emotions such as <em>intravenous administration of of cholecystokinin (a gastric peptide) which can provoke panic attacks</em>.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>Question</strong></p>

<p>What is the physiological process of intravenously inducing an emotion? </p>

<neuroscience><emotion><neuroanatomy>
How does the intravenous administration of cholecystokinin provoke panic attacks?
Ebbinghaus
# How does the intravenous administration of cholecystokinin provoke panic attacks?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-09-25)

**Background**

I recently read a paper [(The James-Lange theory of emotions: a critical examination and an alternative theory](https://www.jstor.org/stable/1415404?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents)), in which the [James-Lange Theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James%E2%80%93Lange_theory) was challenged by [Walter Bradford Cannon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Bradford_Cannon).

Hence it was stated that:

> {Emotional responses can be distinguished by on the basis of autonomic activity., emotions were less intense when the brain was disconnected from the viscera} ... Some artificial manipulations of organ activity can induce emotions such as *intravenous administration of of cholecystokinin (a gastric peptide) which can provoke panic attacks*.

**Question**

What is the physiological process of intravenously inducing an emotion?

**Tags:** neuroscience, emotion, neuroanatomy


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-09-28. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Emotions are often linked to chemical activity in the brain. Neurotransmitters such as serotonin , dopamine, norepinephrine etc are linked to inducing emotional states, therefore if you can take a drug which will increase the amount of a transmitter then you will respond accordingly e.g. MDMA > serotonin > feeling of escstacy/happiness (Meyer & Quenzer, 2013).

In the case of Cholecystokinin (CCK), Singh et al found evidence suggesting that activation of the brain CCK-B receptor induces anxiety and that selective antagonists of this receptor represent a separate class of anxiolytic (relaxing) agents.

Simply:

* Inject drug
* drug reaches blood brain barrier
* drug crosses or is turned into drug that can cross (e.g. codiene > morphine)
* drug turns into neurotransmitter/ or precursor to (e.g. 5HTP > serotonin)
* binds to/ activates receptor this activation causes an emotional/physical
  response

This process varies depending on the drug but that is loosely it as I understand it. Much of this taken from the Meyers textbook, which I read a long time ago so feel free to correct me.

[Singh, L., Lewis, A. S., Field, M. J., Hughes, J., & Woodruff, G. N. (1991). Evidence for an involvement of the brain cholecystokinin B receptor in anxiety. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 88(4), 1130-1133.](http://www.pnas.org/content/88/4/1130.full.pdf)

Meyer, J. S., & Quenzer, L. F. (2013). Psychopharmacology: Drugs, the brain, and behavior.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Perfect, that is exactly the kind of answer that I was looking for!  
> **username_2**: "binds to/ activates receptor this activation causes an emotional/physical response"  <-- this part is a little vague ;)  
> **username_1**: haha yeah I guess could add more detail but I think simplification is ok here?  

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