This episode serves as a sort of “DopamineMasterclass”. I discuss the immensely powerful chemical that we all make in our brain and body:dopamine.
Dopamineis a neurotransmitter in the brain associated with pleasure, reward,motivation, and motor control. Inpsychology, it's linked to feelings of gratification and is implicated in mood disorders, addiction, and certain behaviors when its levels are imbalanced.
The first way to develop adopamine‘want’ is to identify the edge, the new aspect of whatever you are learning or doing. If you can find something that intrigues you, you’ve already picked up your levels ofmotivation. Having some caffeine increasesdopaminereleasein the brain by about 30%.
Researchers suspected thatdopaminemight play a role in influencing how the brain evaluates whether a mental task is worth the effort. The team, co-led by Dr. Michael Frank from Brown University, performed a series of experiments to assessdopamine’s role inmotivation.
Thereleaseofdopaminecreates a reward circuit in the brain.
In particular, people with depression often suffer from a lack ofmotivationand concentration.There is also some evidence that the brainreleasesmoredopaminewhen we meditate. The change in consciousness that occurs during meditation may trigger itsrelease.
PsychologyofMotivation.Motivationdrives human behavior.The Science BehindMotivation.Motivationis deeply tied to neurological processes. The brain’s reward system, particularly thereleaseofdopamine, plays a central role in driving behavior.
