They say that the brain releases dopamine when X happens, or releases oxytocin when X happens, etc. How do we know that’s happening inside somebody’s head without cracking their skull open?
In: Biology
Mostly indirect evidence, eg. we know that X is swirling around your brain because we took a blood sample and its high in Y which corresponds to X in scenario Z. Alternatively, we injected you with X which makes Y light up on your brain scan while we show you pictures of your parents getting handsy.
Sometimes semi-direct evidence, like having brain cells in a petri dish and observing them respond to stimuli or chemicals.
Sometimes also direct evidence like actually having a rats skull open and continuously probed as scientists(hopefully) feed the rat sugar or something.
All of it builds a knowledge base which is used to make accurate observations via indirect evidence.
well with rats, you do that. You gave them stimuli, then decapitate and measure contents.
(or do it live)
then we use that data and assume it happens similiar in other brains
Almost everything is tested on rats, they are actually getting their heads open. Then they test stuff on people (volounteers who are getting paid for participating), and take samples of their blood, pee, cerebro-spinal fluid or whatever and they compare the blood samples before X happened, during the X happening, and after X happening, testing the levels of that exact chemical they were testing.
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