When the chocolates or fat dripping donuts get passed at work … dopamine increases most in people who overindulge … and this chemical acts as alert signal that links food to pleasure. How so?
I was interested in Kristin Leutwyler Ozelli’s description of what’s going on in the
brain during cravings at ScientificAmerican.Com.Look into the brain of a person who exercises and maintains a steady weight using brain imaging technologies, and you’ll see less dopamine. Why is this?
While we know that human brains are highly sensitive to food stimuli … researchers are still trying to figure out … why some produce more dopamine when they see favorite foods.
Without question though, the dopamine increase is linked to foods to which they’ve been conditioned to enjoy most. Research also shows an increase in dopamine in the striatum which is a brain region involved with reward and behavioral motivation.
Interestingly this increase comes simply from smelling or seeing the food, even in cases where people are told they will not be able to eat it.
Dopamine increases come in similar ways to people who crave foods as these neurochemical responses come to drug addicts who watch images of people taking drugs. That’s not all either.
Unfortunately, both drug addicts and obese people show reduced numbers of D2 dopamine receptors in the brain’s reward areas, compared to people with healthier appetites. Researchers suggest that fewer receptors is the brain’s attempt to compensate for the repeated surges of dopamine stimulation with drugs or food. It more a matter of balance though … than of simply decreasing dopamine. Why so?
While too much dopamine can cause compulsive behavior – too little brings boredom and lack of motivation at work? The jury is still out on why some get rushes of dopamine and others struggle with too little at times.
I'll be following these studies carefully ... so check back with Brain Based Business - to see how scientists continue to move our understand closer to healthier states for dopamine’s middle ground. These studies affect your brain and your business.
What do you think?
Comment Preview