Problems with measuring peripheral oxytocin: can the data on oxytocin and human behavior be trusted?

Research on the neurobiological and behavioral effects of oxytocin (OT), as well as on its possible therapeutic applications, has intensified in the past decade. Accurate determination of peripheral OT levels is essential to reach meaningful conclusions and to motivate, support and inform clinical interventions. Different, but concordant, methods for measuring plasma OT have been developed over the past four decades, but since 2004 several commercially available methods have been favored in research with humans.

The significance of neuroscience for philosophy.

The ground is shifting under the traditional approaches to problems in the philosophy of mind. Earlier doctrines concerning the independence of cognition from the brain now appear untenable. As neuroscience uncovers more about the organization and dynamics of the brain, it becomes increasingly evident that theories about our nature must be informed by neuroscientific data.

The impact of neuroscience on philosophy.

In the last two decades, neuroscience has profoundly transformed how we understand learning, decision making, self, and social attachment. Consequently, traditional philosophical questions about mind and morality have been steered in new directions.

Neurophilosophy: the early years and new directions.

Neurophilosophy embraces the hypothesis that what we call "the mind" is in fact a level of brain activity. A corollary of this hypothesis states that we can learn much about the reality of mental function by studying the brain at all levels of organization. Until fairly recently, many philosophers preferred to believe that important domains of mental function could never be addressed using the tools of empirical science.

A neurophilosophical slant on consciousness research.

Explaining the nature and mechanisms of conscious experience in neurobiological terms seems to be an attainable, if yet unattained, goal. Research at many levels is important, including research at the cellular level that explores the role of recurrent pathways between thalamic nuclei and the cortex, and research that explores consciousness from the perspective of action. Conceptually, a clearer understanding of the logic of expressions such as "causes" and "correlates", and about what to expect from a theory of consciousness are required.