Dopamine and Dopaminylation
As we have seen, the neurotransmitter dopamine is far and away the most prominent prize the brain rewards itself with.
Dopaminylation — What and Why?
Addictive drugs and dopamine go together like peanut butter and jelly. The question is, why?
Scandalous Sugar
It makes a lot more sense to talk about “eating addiction” than “food addiction,” because evidence points to various foods being triggers.
The Weirdness of Sugar Exceptionalism
Any human could theoretically live a long and robust life without ever ingesting so much as one teaspoon of sugar. Yet, here it is.
Addictiveness, From Many Angles
People feel very strongly about the addictiveness (or not) of sugar. What makes them so sure? Personal experience, for one thing.
Sugar, Addictiveness, and Dopamine
For people of all ages, ingesting sugar causes the brain to make dopamine and deliver it to other parts of the brain — which is exactly what illicit substances do.