Dopamines role in the Psychological Architecture of Pleasure and Rewar

Dopamines role in the psychological architecture of pleasure and reward indicates that it is a major element in the finish of reinforcement (Arias-Carrin & Pppel, 2007, p. 484). This role was postulated from the discovery of dopamine in reward pathways that are found originating from the midbrain (2). From these discoveries, it has been shown that dopamine has a profound allude upon the existence of reward-seeking behaviors (Arias-Carrin & Pppel, 2007, p. 481). A 2006 study done by Mathias Pessiglione and his colleagues demonstrated that subjects given L-DOPA, a precursor to dopamine, were more likely to remember decisions that light-emitting diode to rewards and continue to make those decisions (3). While the experiment central to this study was conducted in the form of a gambling game, the effects that dopamine has on decision fashioning and reinforcement heap be derived from the observed effects that L-DOPA had on the participants. This derivation can be made not only because L-DOPA is synthesized into dopamine once in the brain but also because gambling is an illuminative behavior in terms of how it represents general reward-seeking behaviors and decisions. As scar Arias-Carrin and Ernst Pppel ramble it, DA dopamine is the brains mean for reinforcing behavior (Arias-Carrin & Pppel, 2007, p. 486). Furthermore, it has also been shown through experimentation that the responsiveness of dopamine levels in the brain to rewarding experiences is characterized by a degree of neuronal plasticity (4). In this context, plasticity refers to the brains ability to alter its responses to experiences in accordance with how new or unique the experience is. This quality can help the brain to act as a sieve, filtering out experiences that are n... ...re rapid release of dopamine into the synapse (13). While these mechanisms are different, both essentially pass the same end result of euphoria, wakefulness, and increased motor activity. These symptoms mirror those of a pe rson with high levels of dopamine, as is seen in psychotic patients. Indeed, high doses of stimulants can as yet lead to psychotic states involving hallucinations. The contrasting effects of antipsychotics and stimulants on not only behavior but also cognition and physiological processes help to generate a greater understanding of the way that dopamine affects both the mind and the body. While the many nuances and subtleties of dopamine neurotransmission are not well understood, observation of the way that psychotropic drugs influence dopamines normal functioning can help to create stronger links between this neurotransmitter and human behavior.