Human Brain Neurochemistry and Symbiotic Microflora: Implications for Biopolitics

Alexander V. Oleskin, Sector for Biosocial Studies, Biology Department, Moscow State University, Vorobyev Hills, 119991 Moscow, Russia; phone +79035072258; e-mail Aoleskin@Rambler.ru; website http://biopolitika.ru

Abstract

The article is concerned with the interrelationships between human brain neurochemistry, the microbial inhabitants of the human organism, and human behavior in relation to politics. It is emphasized that the human organism and its symbiotic microflora constantly exchange chemical messages including neuromediators, e. g. serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, and histamine. The microflora is responsive to alterations in the neuromediator levels of the host caused by changes in the neuropsychological status that in part depend upon political situation-related factors (e. g., stress caused by a war threat). Therefore, the state of the microflora including its qualitative and quantitative composition can be considered a novel somatic variable related to the political situation and the political activities of the human individual involved. In addition, microorganisms synthesize and release their own neuromediators and their precursors that influence the operation of the brain, the neuropsychological status, and, indirectly, human political activities and views.

Introduction

In recent years, evolutionary biology has made important progress whose results exert an appreciable influence upon our understanding of human nature. The new data obtained by biologists are of obvious relevance to political philosophy and political science, because they reveal the liaison between our species’ evolution-molded traits and behavior in relation to political activities under various conditions. This area of research forms part of the broad interdisciplinary field that concentrates on the interactions between the life sciences and political sciences and was termed “biopolitics” by a group of scholars who established the Association for Politics and the Life Sciences (APLS)^1-4. It was pointed out that biopolitics was to employ concepts developed in evolutionary biology for the purpose of improving the understanding of political behavior.⁵ The potential usefulness of a comparative approach to animal and human social behavior was emphasized in works by P. Corning, who gave much attention to the political science implications of such an approach.^{6, 7 In a similar vein, Ira H. Carmen8} claimed that “the biopolitical research agenda” was centered on “connections between our species’ genetic constitution and our species’ political behavior”. Nancy Meyer-Emerick⁹ argued that biopolitics applied “methodology from the life sciences to study human behavior” as it manifests itself in politics. ...

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Symbiotic Biofilms and Brain Neurochemistry

Alexander V. Oleskin, Vladimir I. Shishov, and Kristina Malikina

Biology Department, Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia; e-mail AOleskin@Rambler.ru