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76 comments on Healthy Addictions
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76 comments on Healthy Addictions
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Should I go into a some detail re the dopamine pathway or can we let it go and refer to the background material sited?
It would also be interesting for you propose a definition you think is decent.
Yes let's hear it for the dopamine pathway. Is it the same for most addictions? I occasionally read a blog "The Frontal Cortex" by Jonah Lehrer. I would like to find time to read his books. Neuroanatomy, Neurophysiology, Neuropharmacology and Psychiatry were once my favorite subjects but I took other paths in life and did not keep up with these sciences. My daughter is a Hopkins trained neurologist and says that she still doesn't understand the brain. Lehrer and others have suggested that some of the fMRI studies may be junk science.
--My addiction to sports had both healthy and unhealthy aspects - as did a 50 year passion for the study of population and resources. I have had the opportunity to discuss dopamine with Jay Hanson but not at his level. I won't go into my unhealthiest addictions except to note that they relate to the allure of females.
fMRI studies aren't exactly junk science, but they do tend to 'explain' too much. Economists are quick to grab neuroeconomics papers and say 'aha - so that part of brain lights up explaining our behavior!'. it is not nearly so simple. (though the studies on oxytocin and cooperation/trust are pretty compelling). I just don't think we have the resources to map out all the complex variables involved in decisionmaking, brain science etc. But habiutation via unexpected reward is a key driver. And if the baseline level increases over time, we need either more, or more novel stimuli to get the same buzz..
Regarding dopamine, too many of our activities in this culture promote/end up with a release of dopamine as an 'end'. I also think our chronic cultural depressed serotonin levels are linked to dopamine (and other) cravings.
Low serotonin linked to carbohydrate craving, obesity and depression (Wurtman 1986, 1995)
Diets high in sugar will cause release of dopamine in the pleasure center of the brain (Hoebel 2005)
Sugar is a ‘gateway’ substance that increases likelihood of addiction to other substances, e.g. amphetamines (Hoebel 2003)
Areas in brain activated in food craving are also activated in drug craving (Raglund et al 2004)
I did not intend to imply that fMRI (functional MRI) is junk science. It is actually an incredible scientific technique. However some of the papers presenting findings from the study of fMRI images may be from researchers a little too anxious to join the ranks of the published. And there may be "peer reviewed" journals that are a little too anxious to publish the latest hot topic. Does anyone have a clue as to the number of medical journals in the US or the World who feel the need to fill their pages with something interesting?
--Conventional MRI gives exquisite detail. Functional MRI gives poor resolution as it is only showing gross blood flow. fMRI papers may be extremely useful but should be evaluated cautiously.
For the record, since this thread is getting old, I don't propose any particular definition for "addiction." A poet can define a word any way he likes but someone talking science should be more precise. Do I suppose all the people posting here about their so-called addictions have anything in common re: their dopamine pathways or fMRI's? I rather doubt it. Also, a surprising lack of confessions regarding alcohol or heroin