Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026

A Fully Automated and Highly Versatile System for Testing Multi-cognitive Functions and Recording Neuronal Activities in Rodents
Published on: May 3, 2012
Serendipity and the cerebral localization of pleasure
1Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA. abaumei@lsu.edu
Abstract:
Most accounts of the discovery of "pleasure" circuits in the brain begin with the observation by James Olds and Peter Milner in 1953 that electrical brain stimulation can condition operant responses in rats. Less well-known, pleasurable brain stimulation was previously observed in schizophrenic patients by Robert Heath. However, Heath failed to recognize the significance of this observation, at least in part, because of preconceived notions he held about the etiology of schizophrenia. This episode in the history of neuroscience illustrates the importance of sagacity in serendipitous scientific discoveries. It also shows that "mental preparedness" can be an obstacle to progress.
More Related Videos
05:50Two Different Real-Time Place Preference Paradigms Using Optogenetics within the Ventral Tegmental Area of the Mouse
Published on: February 12, 2020
08:24The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Reason and Intuition
Major Somatic Sensory Pathways
Empathy
The Influence of Affect on Cognition
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
Synesthesia