title: [Biology of pleasure].
abstract: Pleasure is not an "extra", or bonus bringing a little more soul to certain of our acts; it is a fundamental part of animal life. It is just as difficult to define as spirit, but nonetheless man is very conscious of it, and it is found to be associated with certain animal behaviours. The study of the biology of pleasure entails 1) showing how it intervenes in relation with "need" in the regulation of major homeostatic functions, 2) studying its participation in the opponent processes which determine given behaviours, 3) categorising the hormones and neurotransmitters it brings into play, 4) determining its presence in drug addiction and pathological consommatory behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Institut Alfred Fessard, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Vincent
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004644:Emotions; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D009446:Neurobiology; D010990:Pleasure-Pain Principle; D011601:Psychophysics; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology
vernacular_title: La biologie du plaisir.