animal research

• why use animals?

  • the human brain is difficult to study, the brain is complex and tissues delicate meaning it is easily damaged
  • regions of the brain cannot be studied in isolation
  • some animals have similar brain structure so can be reasonably applied to humans
• work of hubel and wiesel

  • research into brains visual system in 1960s and 1970s
  • studied the long term impact of depriving various animal models of vision in one eye- learnt about developments on brains visual cortex
  • used kittens as animal models
  • stitched the kittens eye after birth
• arguments for animal use

  • new drugs needed to be tested on a whole organism not just group of cells
  • testing medication on humans before knowing if it is safe is unethical
  • animls use when no other alternative is available and governered by strict welfare regulations
• arguments against animal use

  • animals suffer from distress and pain and animals can be killed to gain tissue samples to analyse
  • animal and human anatomy+physiology not identical so effects can be different on humans
  • animals should have the same rights as humans regarding welfare and consent