Why does dopamine affect time perception?

Dopamine affects time perception through what is known as "fine-slicing" of time bins, which is akin to increasing the frame rate of your experience. When dopamine levels rise in the brain, people tend to overestimate the amount of time that has passed. This is similar to watching a high-frame-rate video, where details are captured more frequently, making events seem to unfold more slowly 1.

The mechanism involves the brain's reward pathways, such as the nucleus accumbens and the ventral tegmental area, which release dopamine when something surprising or rewarding occurs. The frequency of these dopamine releases alters how individuals segment and perceive time, effectively setting a "new phase" or moment in their experience 2.

Additionally, heightened arousal linked with increased dopamine levels, such as during stress or excitement, can increase blinking rates, contributing further to this fine-slicing effect of time perception 3.