Part 7/13:
Understanding the timing and regulation of dopamine release is crucial. Dr. Huberman highlights the importance of intermittent reward schedules—phenomena exploited by casinos, social media, and some video games—to maintain motivation by creating unpredictable, exciting peaks. These schedule patterns leverage the dopamine reward prediction error: our heightened motivation to chase something when we anticipate a reward, which reinforces repeated pursuit.
Strategies to Sustain Healthy Dopamine Levels
- Avoid excessive peaks: Overuse of drugs like cocaine and amphetamine can cause neuroplasticity deficits, limiting brain adaptability and learning.