Transcript y animal research pp f

Research Methods
Animal research
Brain p255
Ethical Issues
Practical Issues
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y
pBPavEDQCk
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists
working with animals-2007 link
• According to the American Psychological
Association about 8% of psychological
research involves the use of animals; this is
most likely to be in the USA.
• A number of species are used.
• Around 90% of which are rodents and birds,
mainly rats, mice and pigeons.
• Only around 5% of the animals are primates;
cats and dogs are studied rarely.
Animals used
Area studied
Mice
Genes associated with abnormalities in humans – to gain
understanding of such issues
Rats
Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease – and gene therapy to see if it
could work
Rats
Antipsychotic drugs – to see how they change the brain itself
(both it’s structure and the nervous system)
Mice
Monkeys
Stress – to find changes in neurotransmitters to gain
understanding
Stress – to see what effect having control over the situation has
Rodents
Exercise – to see if it helps prevent the processes of ageing
Rats
Memory – to see what parts of the brain perform which
function
Sleep deprivation – to see its effects
Rats
Do the ends ever justify the means?
Each person will have their own views
on this.
Is the animal suffering caused by
certain types of research outweighed
by the benefits to humanity?
Bateson (1986) expressed this as a 3D
graph
Bateson cube
Draw this on p18 of your
Biological Pack
• The cube has 3 axes measuring suffering, certainty of benefit
and quality of research.
 If the research is high quality, certain to be beneficial and not
going to inflict suffering then it will fall into the hollow section
(top front) meaning research should proceed.
X Painful, low quality research with lower likelihood of success
will be bottom back in the solid and should not proceed.
Most research will not be clear cut but the rule is
solid should not continue, hollow should.
• The problem of course is how to determine benefit in
advance. Also who will decide on quality of research and the
level of suffering? Both of which are subjective measures.
Many scientists believe that using
animals for research purposes is
completely justifiable
YES
NO
NOT EVERYONE AGREES
WITH THIS HOWEVER
The 3 Rs
1. Replacement of animals by other methods such as
computer models and simulations.
2. Reduction in the number of animals used. More
advanced statistical methods can be used allowing
significant results based on lower numbers. Sharing
of information between institutions allows the
number of replications to be reduced.
3. Refinement of experimental methods to inflict less
pain and suffering.
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists working
with animals-2007
States:
• Psychologists must adhere to the legal requirements of the
country they are working in.
• Psychologists have to be aware of endangered species or
threatened species and act appropriately.
• Research must be attached to a covering letter stating this.
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists working
with animals-2007
Replacing use of animals
Videos and computer simulations have to be used where possible.
Ideal for teaching situations.
e.g. Ratlife and Sniffy the Rat
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
7h8L96WHXn4
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists working
with animals-2007
Choice of species and strain
Species should be carefully chosen to
ensure effectiveness with minimal
suffering-knowledge of species and
history of individual animals vital
Choices have to be justified on project
licence application
Different strains of rodents are
physiologically different and need to
be chosen carefully.
Transgenic mice may be used as no
harm to organism is observed.
Transgenic mice explanation
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists working
with animals-2007
Number of animals
1986 Act-legally required to use
smallest number of animals
possible
National Centre for 3Rs
(Replacement, Refinement and
Reduction) can provide advice on
how the use of better
methodologies/designs and
statistical analysis can help achieve
this.
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists working
with animals-2007
Procedures
Project licence
Registered establishment
Personal licence
Local ethical review process (Committee)
Home Office
Identify costs to animals in reports/journals
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists working
with animals-2007
Procedures (contd)
Housing- caging needs to take into account the social behaviour
of species
Reward, deprivation, aversive stimulation- periods of
deprivation of food should be short and species specific
Aggression and predation- natural encounters preferable if
staged animals should be protected
Fieldwork- should not disturb the ecosystem or interrupt
species reproduction and survival
Anaesthesia, analgesia and euthanasia- animals should
have access to pain relief and be destroyed humanely if
suffering
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists working
with animals-2007
Procurement (where you can obtain animals)
Home Office Designated Breeding and Supply
Establishments.
Wild caught animals- refer to ASAB website
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists working
with animals-2007
Animal Care
Housing and husbandry
conditions must be within
guidelines
Captive animals should be kept
in conditions closely
resembling their natural
conditions as much as
possible
Need to foster habituation to
minimise stress
Animal care personnel must be
trained
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists working
with animals-2007
Disposing of animals
Distribute to other colleagues if
deemed possible by home office
If disposed of- it must be done
humanely
Death must be confirmed before
disposal
Vets must be consulted
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists working
with animals-2007
Animals in psychology
teaching
Teachers have a responsibility to
educate pupils on ethical issues
Coursework on animals may be
possible but tests to show known
facts are prohibited
Use of film/video should be
encouraged
Undergraduates must work within a
project licence
Post graduates need personal
licence
Sometimes it is hard to justify!
Harry Harlow
Rhesus monkeys
Removed from mothers at birth and
given surrogates, usually made from
wire or terry cloth.
Distress caused during
procedure. Unable to develop normal
social relationships with other members
of species. Picked on by other monkeys
who see them as very submissive and
timid.
Questioned the psychodynamic and
behaviourist theories of attachment
since it suggests food was not
crucial. Evidence for the long term
effects of privation.
Tasks for lesson
1: Make sure you have read and evaluated the
Caster Study in your pack (p17)
This is an example of one type of research that uses
animals.
2: Sort the statement slips into practical and ethical
arguments for and against using animals in research.
Write down some of the key arguments
3: Complete the activity on p20 of your pack~
4: Complete the gap fill on p19 of your pack
5: Answer the exam question on p21 of your pack