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Etienne E. Baulieu* The theme of this book, Heterotypical Behaviour
in Man and Animals, should be of great interest to physiologists,
endocrinolo gists, physicians, and workers in social sciences.
Although Heterotypical Sexual Behaviour is a major theme, this
volume attempts to display wide interest in reproductive medicine,
general physiology, and behaviour in the two sexes. The editors
explore the psycho-social dimension, not only of sexuality, but of
eroticism which, as recalled by John Money, has its etymological
root in the Greek word for love. Being an endocrinologist, who has
studied hormone function in terms of synthesis, metabolism,
distribution and receptors of these messenger molecules, I would
like to recall some data which are basic when considering the
overall human machine. It is common knowledge that androgens and
oestrogens are formed in both sexes, differences being observed
only in concen trations and rhythms of secretion. In the brain of
the two sexes, there appear to be the same enzymes which may
transform androgens to oestrogens, a process which could explain
some aspects of CNS differentiation and activity. Both males and
females have androgen and oestrogen receptors, and neural y these
receptors appear to be present at the same order of magnitude and
distributed according to the same pattern. There is even a similar
distribution of receptors for progesterone, the hormone of
pregnancy, in the brains of males and females. Therefore, several
important pieces of the machinery transmitting sexual information *
Laureat of the 1989 Albert Lasker Clinical Medical Research Award."
. Aggression research is in a rapid state of development. The
accelerating knowledge of neurotransmitter systems in the brain,
their behavioural functions and the development of drugs which may
specifically affect systems related to attack and defence is
fruitfully combined with studies in which basic ethological
observation and quantification techniques are used more routinely.
Moreover, much of the experimental effort has finally applied some
order to the initial chaos which afflicted the various experimental
aggression models used in pharmacological, physiological and
ethological research. This highly desirable trend not only leads to
a better understanding of the phenomena studied and the
terminologies employed, but it increases our awareness of the
multiplicity of factors that are important, making it difficult to
allow over hasty and simple generalizations. This book is a
compilation of studies presented at the International Society for
Research on Aggression meeting in Chicago 1986, in which leading
investigators were invited to cover aspects of ethopharmacological
aggression research in a wide variety of species, including studies
on humans. The level to which ethological techniques have been
incorporated into the various areas of research differs, as well as
the knowledge and understanding of the neurotransmitter and
experimental drug action on brain functioning in mammalian species.
This naturally results in data which are not always easy to compare
or to extrapolate between species but useful indicators are
starting to emerge.
An Advanced Study Institute on the Biology of Aggression was held
in glorious weather between the twenty-first and thirtieth of July
1980, at the Chateau de Bonas, Gers, France. The Institute was
arranged by a scientific organizing committee consisting of Drs.
Paul Brain and David Benton of the University College of Swansea,
Wales, U.K. This book reflects the papers presented at the A.S.I.,
and the arrangement of the book parallels the pro gramme. The
particular objective was to concentrate on recent research on
aggression from the viewpoint of the diverse biological disciplines
that have examined the topic. A major theme that emerged was the
failure of direct reductionist approaches that look for simple
relationships between biological variables and 'aggression'. As may
have been predicted, there was also con siderable debate about the
definition of the term aggression and its associated positive and
negative implications. The organizers would like to express their
appreciation to Professor and Madame Simon for their foresight in
founding the Association Scientifique Cu1tu e11e et Educative de
Bonas and their enthusiasm in designing and converting the Chateau
de Bonas to produce a unique conference centre, a venue that
greatly facilitated this A.S.I.'s objectives. Greatfu1 thanks are
also due to the Faculty who selflessly gave of their time; to Dr."
This volume is the outcome of a NATO Advanced Study Institute on
the Ethoexperimental Analysis of Behavior, which was held at II
Ciocco in Tuscany, in July, 1988. This particular ASI had an
interesting history. In 1980, a NATO ASI on the topic of the
Biology of Aggression was held in Bonas, France. This meeting
brought together a group of European and American researchers and
students from diverse areas, including Psychology, Zoology,
Genetics and the like, all of whom were involved or becoming
involved in the study of aggression. The Bonas meeting outlined
several emerging trends in aggression research, the most prominent
of which was an increased emphasis on the behavioral aspects of
aggression. This included studying a variety of aggressive
behaviors rather than single measures; an interest in what might
have been previously considered minutiae, such as the targets for
bites or blows and the specifics of movement relationships in
dyadic interactions; and a desire to relate the dependent variables
of laboratory tests to the typical aggressive behaviors seen for
related animals in their natural habitats. This increased attention
to natural patterns of aggressive behavior was also very
interesting in light of the many findings presented at the Bonas
meeting which indicated particular involvement of a number of
biological systems in aggression: These findings suggested that
aggression constitutes an evolved neurobehavioral system (quite
possibly more than one, in fact) representing the activities of a
relatively specific biological substrate expressed through a
patterned system of behaviors.
This volume is the outcome of a NATO Advanced Study Institute on
the Ethoexperimental Analysis of Behavior, which was held at II
Ciocco in Tuscany, in July, 1988. This particular ASI had an
interesting history. In 1980, a NATO ASI on the topic of the
Biology of Aggression was held in Bonas, France. This meeting
brought together a group of European and American researchers and
students from diverse areas, including Psychology, Zoology,
Genetics and the like, all of whom were involved or becoming
involved in the study of aggression. The Bonas meeting outlined
several emerging trends in aggression research, the most prominent
of which was an increased emphasis on the behavioral aspects of
aggression. This included studying a variety of aggressive
behaviors rather than single measures; an interest in what might
have been previously considered minutiae, such as the targets for
bites or blows and the specifics of movement relationships in
dyadic interactions; and a desire to relate the dependent variables
of laboratory tests to the typical aggressive behaviors seen for
related animals in their natural habitats. This increased attention
to natural patterns of aggressive behavior was also very
interesting in light of the many findings presented at the Bonas
meeting which indicated particular involvement of a number of
biological systems in aggression: These findings suggested that
aggression constitutes an evolved neurobehavioral system (quite
possibly more than one, in fact) representing the activities of a
relatively specific biological substrate expressed through a
patterned system of behaviors.
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