Wellness-uptodate

C.M.S.  for WUTD Does dopamine motivate us to exercise? Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is frequently associated with pleasure, motivation, and reward-seeking. Dopamine, particularly in Parkinson's Disease patients due to dopamine insufficiency, may have an impact on how people perceive physical effort, as stated by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers. According to a recent study, it appears to play a significant role in determining why some people find physical activity to be easy or exhausting. This finding was reached after researching individuals who had Parkinson's disease, a condition marked by the progressive loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. “Researchers have long been trying to understand why some people find physical effort easier than others,” says study leader Vikram Chib, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and research scientist at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. The ...

Humans aren’t big fans of the status quo. We yearn for new experiences and rewards, whether by seeking a new meal, job, or creative project. Such diverse behaviors are spurred by a chemical in the brain called dopamine. Call it the motivation molecule. In the modern world, though, dopamine has a dark side. Substances that give us great pleasure, from coffee to cocaine, can raise dopamine levels too high. And digital technologies, such as video games and social media, may affect us similarly. Continue reading