It is truly amazing how the brain works and reacts to stimuli that people find the most pleasure in. There is one part of the brain that controls the pleasure that the body feels through various actions such as sex, drugs, and even eating! The brain is working in more ways than one can imagine behind the scenes and this is what makes the human body such an amazing instrument. But sometimes the body makes it too good of a thing and it turns into addiction. There is a reward system that controls the feeling of pleasure through stimuli that can be physical such having sex or using drugs and mental such thinking about a significant other. These exterior and interior stimuli will be described, explained and furthermore, the effects of the stimulus when they are triggered will be described as well.
If a stimulus can cause so much change in the body then what is it? A stimulus is a change in the internal and external environment detected by the body. The stimulus triggers the brain to release dopamine to give us pleasurable rewards when engage in behavior that people find pleasurable. Our ability to “feel good” involves brain neurotransmitters in this reward system. This reward system consists of dopamine-releasing neurons in areas of the brain called the ventral tegmental area (VTA), the nucleus accumbens, and the amygdala. The VTA dopamine system is strongly associated with the reward system of the brain. Dopamine is released in areas such as the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex as a result of rewarding experiences such as food, sex, and neutral stimuli that become associated with them.
The source of this dopamine is primarily comes from the VTA, although the substantia nigra may also contribute. Electrical stimulation of the ...
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...a prolonged period of time. This sensation is followed by increase heart rate, blood pressure, and sexual appetite. Dopamine uptake continues to be blocked by constant use of cocaine as the system releases less and less dopamine and the reward system goes dry. The cocaine user becomes anxious and unable to experience pleasure without the drug. Consequently, the postsynaptic cells become hypersensitive and sprout new receptors in a desperate effort to pick up dopamine signals. A vicious cycle of addiction begins and cocaine is needed to experience pleasure as it suppresses dopamine release even more. Dopamine alone is not enough to maintain addiction, glutamate, which plays an important role in learning, is required to maintain addiction. Glutamate signaling seems to cause more permanent changes in the brain that leads to the drug-seeking behaviors elicited by users.
Sian Beilock is the author of this novel, the information written by her would be considered credible due to the fact that she is a leading expert on brain science in the psychology department at the University of Chicago. This book was also published in the year 2015 which assures readers that the information it contains is up to date and accurate. The novel is easy to understand and the author uses examples of scientific discoveries to help make the arguments more relatable. Beilock goes into depth about how love, is something more than just an emotion, it derives from the body’s anticipation. “Volunteers reported feeling
Timothy Brook’s book, The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China is a detailed account of the three centuries of the Ming Dynasty in China. The book allows an opportunity to view this prominent time period of Chinese history. Confusions of Pleasure not only chronicles the economic development during the Ming dynasty, but also the resulting cultural and social changes that transform the gentry and merchant class. Brook’s insights highlight the divide between the Ming dynasty’s idealized beliefs, and the realities of its economic expansion and its effects. Brook describes this gap through the use of several first hand accounts of individuals with various social statuses.
Cocaine. National Institute of Drug Abuse: The science of drug abuse and addiction, Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/directors-page Holman, B. (1994) The 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary Biological effects of central nervous system stimulants. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pd fviewer?sid=118723c1-a0ab-413a-ace1.
When a person takes cocaine, it causes a rush. There is between one or two minutes of intense pleasure. This is followed by five to 8 minutes of euphoria, then as the high comes down, an overwhelming urge for more, which may last for a day. (3) When a user is between cocaine doses or halts usage, the opposite effects occur. The user is depressed and tired (2).
The most commonly abused substances are Nicotine, Inhalants, Alcohol, Cocaine, Amphetamines, Prescription medications, Heroin, Ecstasy and Marijuana. 1a(National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2011) Initially, a person may find themselves using substances voluntarily and with confidence that they will be able to dictate their personal use. However, over the period of time that drug use is repeated, changes are taking place throughout the brain, whether it is functionally or structurally. Drugs contain chemicals that enter the communication system of the brain and disturb the way in which nerve cells would typically send, receive, and process information. The chemicals within these drugs will cause a disruption to the communication system by either imitating the brain’s natural chemical messengers or by over-stimulating the brains “reward system” by sending mass amounts of dopamine. As an individual prolongs his or her use of these substances, they may develop an addiction.
Also, involved in chemistry are dopamine and norepinephrine, chemical cousins of amphetamines. Dopamine, a neurochemical released by PEA, makes us feel good.(1) A recent study done at Emory University shows that female voles (small rodents) choose their mates in response to dopamine being released in their brains. When injected with dopamine in a male vole's presence, the female will pick him out of a crowd later.
Drugs seem to cause surges in dopamine neurotransmitters and other pleasure brain messengers. However, the brain quickly adapts and these circuits desensitize, which allows for withdrawal symptoms to occur (3). Drug addiction works on some of the same neurobiological mechanisms that aid in learning and memories (3). "This new view of dopamine as an aid to learning rather than a pleasure mediator may help explain why many addictive drugs, which unleash massive surges of the neurotransmitter in the brain, can drive continued use without producing pleasure-as when cocaine addicts continue to take hits long after the euphoric effects of the drug have worn off or when smokers smoke after cigarettes become distasteful." (4)
The brain is the most important organ in the body with our heart. It controls every action, thoughts and regulates our bodily function. It is divided into section, each of them are responsible for various process. Before we can understand dopamine, we must talk about the different parts of the brain. The frontal lobe is the main difference between us and animals. ...
The brain becomes accustomed to the chemical changes caused by the chemical changes caused by the substance. It begins to alter its normal production and starts releasing neurotransmitters. The user begins to lose control and has difficulty limiting their drug intake; the need to consume the substance becomes more compulsive because it has affected the region of the brain that controls impulse, behavior, and craving.
They include many statistics and definitions to help build our understanding and their argument. “Sexually active (teen) boys are 7x as likely as non-sexually active boys to have attempted suicide” (Olivier). This statistic is drawn from The Heritage Foundation’s study that relates depression and suicide to both sexually active and inactive teens. The Heritage Foundation is a widely accredited, and supported public policy research institute. This statistic shows that sex plays a huge role in teens ability to cope with emotions and to make decisions. It also highlights how it negatively effects teens mental stability overall. Another appeal to logos is the explanation of how the brain is affected after intimacy. “Consequently, documentation is acquired regarding a third, and often overlooked, risk of premarital sex: psychological consequences.” (Olivier). The authors discuss all of the possible negative physiological effects that occur because of engaging in sexual activity. It is explained that three chemicals in the brain are released after sex that help bond both partners together- dopamine, oxytocin, and vasopressin. The authors argue that even casual sex will bond people together since this a natural reaction to being intimate with another human. These bonding chemicals can keep people fixated on another person for years because of how strong the chemicals dopamine, oxytocin, and vasopressin are. Therefore,
Sex is a very taboo topic for teenagers that is met with shyness, excitement, and a surge of hormones - it is no wonder that this novel experience is one that many risk-seeking, dopamine filled teenagers are drawn towards. Looking to research for explanation, Galván's paper details a monkey behavioral study done to parallel dopamine response in adolescents. The experiment showed a resounding conclusion that repeating the same reward again and again led to the dopamine response moving earlier in time towards the cue rather than to the reward itself, seemingly in anticipation. Additionally, these dopamine responses mapped on to faster reaction times in behavior. Relating this to adolescent sexual behaviors, then, it would seem that after multiple
“Dopamine System May Be the Key to Addiction.” News Briefs. Nature Magazine. May-June 2012. National Drug Strategy Network. Web. 20 Apr. 2015
The human body is a complex organism, it is comprised of numerous individual systems that all work together to maintain the living body. Working as the chief system in the body is the Nervous System. The Nervous System as defined by ( Miriam Webster, 2014) is “a system of nerves in the body that send and receive messages for controlling movement and feeling between the brain and the rest of the body.” The Nervous System is further complex and divided into 2 systems that work together to process and perform all voluntary and involuntary functions.
Nearly all drugs of abuse increase dopamine release. Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter in drug abuse and addiction. Dopamine plays a role in reward-motivated behaviors, motor control and important hormones. It’s known as the “feel good hormone” which is why people abuse drugs that increase the release of dopamine. Since life is unpredictable, our brains have evolved the ability to remodel themselves in response to our experiences.
The word pleasure means a state of enjoying, satisfaction, sex… When I first think about it, I think as it is a way of having fun from something simple. I don't think pleasure is like passion. It doesn't have to mean you a lot. It isn't a wish or a goal or a life time wish. It is just finding joy from something simple and good enough to satisfy you. I concerned about it because in my mind the first definition that came up to my mind was sex. I was prejudiced about this word. But why should I be? That's why I chose it. I pushed myself a bit to do my search with pleasure. If we don't know exactly what is pleasure means we can concerned about it. Unknown makes fears and fears make us prejudice. We need facts to believe and find out our truths. I take a risk at least for me so my journey began.