title: The nature of feelings: evolutionary and neurobiological origins.
abstract: Feelings are mental experiences of body states. They signify physiological need (for example, hunger), tissue injury (for example, pain), optimal function (for example, well-being), threats to the organism (for example, fear or anger) or specific social interactions (for example, compassion, gratitude or love). Feelings constitute a crucial component of the mechanisms of life regulation, from simple to complex. Their neural substrates can be found at all levels of the nervous system, from individual neurons to subcortical nuclei and cortical regions.
authors: Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, 3620 A McClintock Avenue, Suite 265, Los Angeles, California 90089-2921, USA. damasio@usc.edu
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Damasio
authors: Gil B
authors: GB
authors: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004328:Drive; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D009424:Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology