In the Arms of an Angel

    When I think of advertisements that stick with me, there is a specific one that comes to mind: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). I used to see this commercial everyday when I watched TV and it would always make want to hold on extra tight to my dogs. I always remember the iconic song by Sarah McLachlan, "In the Arms of an Angel" and I immediately knew what was playing on my screen. Next thing I know, I'm watching haunting images of puppies and kittens caged in horrendous conditions and my heart just melts for them. It was always so heartbreaking to imagine how terrified these defenseless animals must be and I just couldn't help but wonder what kind of a person would do this to an animal. 

    Recently I have been studying neurobiology and learning about what aspects of out human nervous system are involved in specific responses to things. While watching this commercial, I know I always felt so much emotion, whether it was empathy for the animals or anger towards those who allow this to happen. Due to the emotions expressed in this commercial and the ties of owning animals, this ad activates my limbic system. It is a source of emotion while also storing long-term memories with strong emotional components. The hippocampus is the part of the limbic system responsible for long-term memories. When I start to think about if I want to donate to ASPCA or not, my pre-frontal cortex (PFC) is working because I am planning and making a decision. The PFC takes the sensory and emotional information and then uses it to plan and execute decisions. If I were to donate to ASPCA, I would feel a sensation of accomplishment and feel good about helping those animals. The amygdala, which aides in emotion and memory, also plays a critical role in the brain's reward system and the "feel good" neurotransmitter, dopamine, would also be released after helping the animals.  



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