Dopamine. People call it the want and desire chemical, but why?
From an evolutionary perspective, our brain rewards us for anything that increases our chances of survival by releasing a neurotransmitter called "dopamine" in our brain.
That's why it's so damn good to have sex or eat steak—because our brain thinks sex equals reproduction of our species, and a fatty piece of meat means long-term satiety—it rewards us for pleasure.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, neuromodulator, and hormone that plays a critical role in the functioning of the central nervous system. It is responsible for transmitting signals between neurons in the brain and regulating a wide range of physiological processes and psychological functions.
Functionally, dopamine is responsible for mood regulation, motivation, reward and pleasure. It can cause feelings of joy, satisfaction, and euphoria when, together with other neurotransmitters, the appropriate neurochemical signaling system is built.
The chemical structure of dopamine includes a benzene ring, two hydroxyl (OH-) groups and an aminoethyl residue. This structure enables it to effectively interact with appropriate receptors on the surface of neurons, activating or inhibiting nerve signals.
How was the opening...
In 1954, James Olds and Peter Milner conducted a revolutionary experiment investigating whether electrical stimulation of certain areas of the brain could cause discomfort in rats, specifically the limbic system. They decided to stimulate certain areas of the hypothalamus of rats with electrodes in order to study their response to stimulation and determine what emotions they evoke. In their experiment, the current was activated when the rats entered a certain corner of the cell.
However, during the experiments, when some areas of the hypothalamus were stimulated, the rats began to show not fear, but unusual emotions. Instead of avoiding stimulation, they actively sought it, even when it was not associated with obtaining food or water.
Rats seemed to be masochists. they were electrocuted and later it made it possible to control them like a joystick...
This discovery surprised scientists, and they began to investigate what specific emotions the stimulation caused.
If the stimulation produced unpleasant sensations, the rats would avoid that corner. However, to the great surprise of the scientists, the rats not only returned, but did so even faster after each stimulation. In further experiments, the rats independently pressed the lever to activate the stimulation, and did so up to seven hundred times per hour. This part of the brain is called the "pleasure center".
As a result, it turned out that the rats felt pleasure when certain areas of the hypothalamus were stimulated.
This experiment paved the way for further research, which found that this pleasure is associated with an increase in the level of dopamine in the brain of rats.
This has forced a rethinking of the nature of neurotransmitters and their influence on emotions and behavior.
Dopamine was discovered as a neurotransmitter in the brain in the 1950s. Initially, scientists discovered its presence in the brain tissues of isolated animals. However, it was in 1957, through research conducted as a result of observing the body's reaction to medication, that it was identified as a separate chemical component. It was this discovery that turned out to be key to the further development of research on the functions of this important neurotransmitter in the human brain.
The value of dopamine cannot be overestimated. Dopamine plays a key role in the mechanism of falling in love - the brain of a person in love begins to intensively produce this neurotransmitter. It also participates in learning, memory and concentration processes. But it's like a gas pedal - if you press it in front of a wall it can lead to trouble, so it's better to try to direct it to your advantage, not against it.
Dopamine's main function is to make us seek happiness, not to actually make us happy. This is the regulation of reward-motivated behavior, promoting a sense of satisfaction, enhancing behavioral responses and motivation. Indeed, dopamine can even push us a little, even if it makes us miserable.
An increase in dopamine levels is observed while waiting for the consumption of a tasty food or other reward.
So it's fair to point out that while dopamine-related rewards can produce positive emotions and feelings of satisfaction, overconsumption of such rewards can have negative consequences. Resisting dopamine rewards can lead to stress, as the body can react negatively to the absence of expected rewards. This can cause feelings of irritation, anger or dissatisfaction.
Smart people think they won't fall into the dopamine trap...
...but only patients with Parkinson's disease have an immune system against such situations.
Disruption of key dopamine-related neural pathways can also cause unpleasant side effects and risks of addiction. For example, dysfunction of these pathways can lead to the development of various mental disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders, addictions, and affects the control of movements, promoting smooth and coordinated actions...
Therefore, it is important to balance the consumption of rewards and your actions to avoid negative consequences. One can learn to develop healthy motivational strategies and learn to experience pleasure from healthy, varied sources, not just stimulation of dopamine pathways.
How does the reward system affect our actions?
When the brain is aware of the possibility of receiving a reward, it releases the neurotransmitter dopamine. This neurotransmitter signals the brain what to pay attention to and what to strive for with great effort. The release of dopamine creates a feeling of excitement and the possibility of happiness. We become anxious, alert and focused.
Waiting for a new message or a funny video, we constantly check our devices. Technology is highly addictive in the brain, and we become its hostages, yearning for more of it.
Our actions on the Internet resemble the search for a promised reward - we search again and again. Clicking the mouse, we hope for another "dose". We are constantly searching for the vain reward that we think will finally satisfy us.
They give us constant doses of dopamine. as we jump from one post to another and from one level to the next, and what makes it even easier for us to engage with social media, junk food, porn, alcohol, drugs, or any other source of instant gratification, that it doesn't require us to efforts We just need to consume and we are instantly rewarded with a huge dose of dopamine.
It's crazy to believe, but we live in a world designed to stimulate our emotions in order to maximize profits. Dopamine has been scientifically proven to have a direct effect. about the decisions we make and the actions we take. This is why dopamine ultimately controls us every day. and that's why billions of people unknowingly focus their entire lives on consumption instead of creating the life they really want to live.
Cell phones, the Internet, and social media may have accidentally influenced our reward system, but computer and video game developers use it purposefully to keep players hooked. The game becomes exciting when the next level or big reward awaits us. This explains why gaming addiction is so hard to break. Video games increase the level of dopamine in the brain, similar to amphetamines, and it is this release of dopamine that leads to persistent addiction.
For this reason, people become fat, alcoholics or drug addicts. The fact is that dopamine does not know what is useful for us and what is not. He doesn't know that too much chocolate is bad for us. All he sees is the potential for pleasure without any context. and for this reason addicts are willing to let their whole lives fall apart, just to get that dose of dopamine again and again.
So, dopamine, being the key neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of pleasure, motivation and reward, can be used against us in various contexts:
Substance Addiction: Substances that increase dopamine levels in the brain, such as alcohol, drugs, and nicotine, can contribute to addiction. Chronic use of these substances can alter the neurochemical balance and cause addiction through increased dopamine production.
Consumer culture: Many companies, especially in technology and entertainment, use psychological techniques to stimulate the production of dopamine in the brains of users. For example, social networks, video games, and other online platforms often use reward mechanisms for interaction (likes, comments, etc.) to increase feelings of satisfaction and motivation.
Marketing strategies: Advertising agencies and companies use knowledge about the role of dopamine in the formation of positive emotions to attract the attention of consumers. Advertising campaigns can create artificial stimuli that promote the production of dopamine and increase the appeal of the advertised products.
Financial Markets: In the financial markets, investment strategies are often based on the stimulation of the dopaminergic systems of the brain, as success or failure can trigger great emotions and feelings of reward.
All these ways of using dopamine can have negative consequences for a person's mental and physical health, in particular, contribute to the development of addictions, stress and neurological disorders.
Why do people with Parkinson's disease not have problems with dopamine traps?
Perhaps the most compelling evidence for dopamine's role in addiction comes from patients being treated for Parkinson's disease, a common neurodegenerative disorder caused by the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells.
Patients with Parkinson's disease experience a loss of dopamine neurons in a part of the brain known as the substantia nigra. This leads to movement disorders such as tremors, rigidity and slowing of movements.
Parkinson's disease got its name in honor of the English doctor James Parkinson, who first described the symptoms of this neurodegenerative disease in detail in 1817 in his publication "An Essay on the Shaking Palsy".
A decrease in dopamine levels in the brain is one of the main factors causing the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Therefore, many drugs used to treat this disease are aimed at restoring or increasing the level of dopamine in the brain. This disease confirms the great importance of dopamine for motivation and the cause of slow or impaired coordination of movements, depression and, in rare cases, complete catatonia.
Do you know what gives you a dopamine release?
Using addictive substances, such as alcohol, nicotine, or cocaine, temporarily increases dopamine levels in the brain. Its level is reduced in people with depression. Also, the lack of dopamine leads to slowing down and retardation of cognitive processes in the human brain, stiffness of movements, difficulty in walking and limitation of motor activity.
Food? Alcoholic beverages? Shopping? Facebook? Something else?
What exactly attracts attention. What gives us hope for reward, prompts us to act? What makes people obsessed?
in 2005, a twenty-eight-year-old Korean gamer, Lee Seung Seop, died of heart failure after playing StarCraft for fifty hours straight, without even stopping to eat or sleep, just continuing to play. It's reminiscent of Olds and Milner's rats, pushing levers until they're completely exhausted.
If you've been putting things off because they're unpleasant, maybe you can encourage yourself by associating them with something that definitely activates dopamine neurons?
Technique 10 minutes:
To cool your temper and make a smart decision, try the ten-minute strategy. If after ten minutes you still want it, go ahead, but in the meantime remember the reward you will receive if you can resist the temptation. If possible, move away from the source of the temptation, or at least put it out of sight.
Interesting facts about dopamine
- Role in the reward system: Dopamine plays a key role in the brain's reward system, regulating feelings of pleasure and motivation. It is released in response to the expectation of reward, helping us focus on tasks that promise satisfaction.
- Effect on motor function: Dopamine is important for the control of movements. The loss of dopamine neurons in certain areas of the brain leads to diseases such as Parkinson's disease, which is characterized by tremors, rigidity and slowness of movement.
- Involvement in learning and memory: Dopamine plays a significant role in learning and memory processes. It helps the brain form new connections, which are necessary for memorizing information and acquiring new skills.
- Falling in love and romance: Dopamine is one of the main chemical components involved in falling in love. The release of dopamine in the brain causes strong emotions and feelings of attachment to another person.
- Addiction and substance abuse: Using addictive substances, such as alcohol, nicotine, or cocaine, causes a temporary increase in dopamine levels. This increase is associated with pleasurable sensations that cause addiction.
- Dopamine and technology: Modern technology, such as social media and video games, stimulate the release of dopamine, creating feelings of satisfaction and motivation. This can lead to dependence on these technologies.
- Low Dopamine and Depression: Low dopamine is associated with depression and other mental disorders. Depressed people often have low levels of dopamine, which leads to a loss of motivation and a sense of satisfaction.
- Cognitive functions: Dopamine plays an important role in cognitive processes such as attention, problem solving, and decision making. It helps the brain process information efficiently and make informed decisions.
- Sleep and mood: Dopamine affects the regulation of sleep and mood. Its level changes during the day, affecting sleep and wakefulness cycles.
- Food and Dopamine: Certain foods can increase dopamine levels. For example, foods rich in the amino acid tyrosine, such as cheese, meat, fish, nuts, and seeds, can help increase dopamine production.
- Sports and physical activity: Regular physical activity helps to increase the level of dopamine. After exercise, the brain releases dopamine, which leads to a feeling of satisfaction and an elevated mood known as the "post-workout high."
- Role in creativity: Dopamine is also associated with creative processes. Increasing dopamine levels can help generate new ideas and increase creativity.
- Dopamine and risky decisions: High levels of dopamine can lead to a propensity for risky behavior. This explains why some people like extreme sports or gambling.
- Social interaction: Dopamine plays a role in social behavior. Positive social interactions can stimulate the release of dopamine, which contributes to feelings of satisfaction and strengthening of social bonds.
- Effects of music: Listening to your favorite music can increase dopamine levels. This may explain why music can evoke such strong emotional responses.
- Meditation and relaxation: Meditation and relaxation practices can also increase dopamine levels, helping to reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
- Nicotine and Dopamine: Cigarette smoking stimulates the release of dopamine, which promotes pleasure but is also highly addictive.
- Effects on appetite: Dopamine also affects appetite and eating behavior. The release of dopamine can increase cravings for certain foods, especially those high in fat and sugar.
- Genetic factors: Genetic variations can affect the production and receptors of dopamine, which can lead to individual differences in behavior, susceptibility to addictions and risk of developing certain diseases.
- Lifespan of dopamine: Dopamine does not stay in the brain for long. After performing its function, it is rapidly broken down by enzymes such as monoamine oxidase (MAO) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT).
- Pharmacological treatment: Medicines that affect dopamine levels are used to treat a variety of conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and depression.
- Effects on Endurance: Studies show that increasing dopamine levels can increase endurance and improve physical performance during intense exercise.
- Role in self-esteem: Dopamine affects our perception of ourselves and our self-esteem. High levels of dopamine can increase self-confidence and self-esteem.
- Caffeine and dopamine: Caffeine stimulates the release of dopamine, which explains the increased attention and improved mood after drinking coffee.
- Effects on creative occupations: People who work in creative occupations often have a more active dopamine system, which contributes to their ability to generate new ideas and solve complex problems.
Dopamine is an extremely important molecule that affects many aspects of our lives, from mood and motivation to motor activity and cognitive function. Its balance is key to maintaining a healthy mental and physical state. This is why dopamine ultimately controls us every day. and that's why billions of people unknowingly focus their entire lives on consumption instead of creating the life they really want to live.