The evidence is convergent. Multiple independent sources reach the same conclusion, the underlying mechanism is well-characterized, and even the field's most cautious voices treat it as worth doing.
Well, first of all, it is not just responsible for pleasure, it is responsible for motivation and drive. Primarily, at the psychological level, also for craving. ... It also controls time perception, and we will get deep into how dopamine can modulate time perception, and how important it is that everybody be able to access increases in dopamine at different timescales. ... Dopamine is also vitally important for movement.
Every Sunday: the week’s new conflicts and verdict changes — and nothing else.
Native comments, Twitter mentions, and Reddit threads about this claim — surfaced together so the conversation isn't fragmented across platforms.
Bookmarking — the dossier-vs-overview split is the right call. Most of the time I want overview; sometimes I want receipts.
Would love a "what would change this verdict" RSS feed. Sign me up if it exists.
the same single molecule dopamine is responsible for our sense of motivation and for movement
I I've long believed that, you know, dopamine is a currency. We it's the universal currency of motivation, right? It's what literally allows us to ambulate forward. It controls movement in the body.
It is responsible for motivation and drive also for craving. Those three things are sort of the same. Motivation, drive, and craving. It also controls time perception. This turns out to be important to not end up addicted to substances, but it also turns out to be very important to sustain effort and be a happy person over long periods of time, which I think most everybody wants. Dopamine is also vitally important for movement.
That dopamine is involved in learning, motivation, feelings, and movement among a few other more minor roles.