Dopamine: Addiction, Connection, and ADHD Issues

By Mark Daily

What is dopamine? And how does it work?



Dopamine has been the topic of many debates and discussions among neuroscientists, clinicians, and analysts. It has been controversial and fascinating at the same time. Dopamine seems to give us motivation to succeed, to exercise, to seek rewards, to survive, and to procreate. It rewards us when we follow our instincts and can be the source of addictive behavior. People with ADHD have special challenges regarding dopamine fluctuation and appear to frequently suffer from a deficiency or overdose. Thus, regulating such dopamine levels is crucial to one’s satisfaction and happiness in life.



Learn more about how to do this through this guide!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anonymous
• Release date: Nov 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9791220217835

Book preview

Dopamine

Addiction, Connection, and ADHD Issues

By Mark Daily

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: What Is Dopamine?

Chapter 2: Giving Up

Chapter 3: Motivation to Exercise

Chapter 4: ADHD and Dopamine

Chapter 5: The Reverse of Addiction is Connection

Chapter 1: What Is Dopamine?

What is the definition of dopamine? What does it do and in what way? These kinds of questions have caused debate in neuroscience for a long time. A new study from the U.K. could have some of the answers.

The word dopamine means very different things to different people. From drug addiction to Parkinson's illness to a Hollywood film, dopamine is a part of mainstream culture and also an enduringly interesting research subject in neuroscience. It has been part of over 110,000 research documents in the last 60 years but is still a source of controversy amongst neuroscientists. Attempting to sum up the function of dopamine in a brief chapter or book isn't going to be simple. I am going to leave a lot of research researchers dissatisfied and some totally mad!

Let's start with the basics. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, one of those chemicals that is accountable for transferring signals between the afferent neuron (neurons) of the brain. Really few nerve cells actually make dopamine. Some, in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra, are the cells that die during Parkinson's disease. The functions of others, situated in a part of the brain called the forward tegmental area (VTA), are less well defined and are the major source of the previously mentioned debate, which is my entire focus as well. When dopamine neurons end up being activated, they release dopamine.

One of the best-described roles for VTA dopamine nerve cells is in learning more about benefits. VTA dopamine neurons become triggered when something good happens all of a sudden, such as the unexpected accessibility of food. Most mistreated drugs cause the release of dopamine and this is thought to add to their addicting properties.

However what