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Many people associate dopamine primarily with pleasure or reward, but Dr. Huberman emphasizes that its functions extend far beyond that. Dopamine is fundamental for motivation, drive, and craving—the urges that propel us toward specific goals or activities. It also influences our perception of time, which impacts long-term effort and satisfaction, and is essential for movement control. In neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Lewy body dementia, death or depletion of dopamine neurons leads to tremors, gait difficulties, speech challenges, and mood disturbances such as depression, highlighting how integral dopamine is to both motor function and emotional health.
Neural Pathways of Dopamine
Dopamine exerts its effects via two primary neural circuits: