ASPCA= Overactive Amygdala

ASPCA = Overactive Amygdala 🐶 Neuro Blog 2

        The first advertisement that every animal lover has an emotional connection to is the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) shelter adoption television ads/commercial. Click here to view one of the heart tugging commercials they screen. After watching, I am sure you can agree that every animal in the film appears lonely, helpless, scared and wanting a loving, new home.

        As you watch this, certain areas of your brain will have an emotional response to the commercial. The first part of my brain that is stimulated is my hippocampus. This is where all of my long-term memories are stored, and this commercial is one I will always remember from my childhood. My hippocampus distinctly remembers it coming on television with the famous song, “In the Arms of the Angel” by Sarah McLachlan in the background. However, the most important portion of my nervous system is rooted in my emotional response I experience to this sad, commercial about the shelter animals. The portion responsible for this is my limbic system, especially my amygdala. The amygdala is what triggers our emotions, as well as our memory. While watching, you will also have a few neurotransmitters that are secreted for this neural response of empathy and sadness. The main neurotransmitter for this emotion would be norepinephrine by relaying a stress reaction in your body to create an emotional response to the commercial.

        Overall, this ASPCA commercial will always be one of the best advertisements produced, in my mind, because the emotional response that it triggers inside an empathetic human’s mind that is very persuasive. The emotions from your limbic system are so intense from seeing the sweet dog sit there lonely or the tiny kitten looking sick that you always either skip the commercial to avoid the emotions or want to drive right over to adopt one of the animals pictured. I, personally, always skip the commercial because my norepinephrine kicks in giving me anxiety about the animals sleeping in the shelter without families and then it brings me to tears. I know all animal lovers and animal owners will definitely agree to that statement as well!

(On a side note, please enjoy these pictures of me loving on my favorite animals to give you a boost of the happy hormone, serotonin❤)