Hi, is it possible to make my brain release dopamine doing stuff that usually don't release dopamine. By exemple, someone who needs to memorize information letter by letter, can he make his own brain release dopamine for this activity in order to make memorization loved by the brain and work harder, better, faster, stronger?

Thanks

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Yes, it is possible to condition the brain to release dopamine in response to activities that are typically not associated with dopamine release, such as detailed memorization tasks. According to , dopamine can be influenced by various neurochemicals and neural circuits, and it's released not only in response to positive expectations being met, but also in response to surprising or unexpected events 1. This implies that your brain could potentially learn to release dopamine by restructuring the predictability or uniqueness of memorization tasks, for instance by integrating unexpected positive feedback or rewards throughout the activity.

Additionally, the release of dopamine can be tied to the perception of time, according to the frequency of dopamine pulses. If you structure the memorization task with distinct and varying intervals (batching the memorization activity based on different criteria, like time or amount of data), this might further encourage dopamine release, enhancing the engagement and effectiveness of the task 1.

Essentially, through strategic reinforcement and structuring of the task, it might be possible to make such activities more enjoyable and neurochemically rewarding for the brain.

Time Perception

Andrew discusses a study that measured surprise by the release of dopamine in the brain and how it relates to time perception. The frequency of dopamine release predicts how individuals batch time, setting the frame rate on their perception of everything, not just positive or negative events. Dopamine is a flexible currency in the brain that carves up our experience throughout the day.

Huberman Lab

Time Perception & Entrainment by Dopamine, Serotonin & Hormones | Huberman Lab Podcast #46
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