Although the brain’s reward system is often referred to as a mechanism associated with addictions, there is an essential aspect that we must understand: having goals in life is synonymous with health and well-being, so all this neurobiology behind the motivation and pleasure we desire in our daily lives is regulated by the same complex and fascinating circuit.
Eating, resting, chatting with friends in a café, expecting a like in the photo we just posted on our social networks, eating a chocolate-filled dessert, leaving work early for shopping or going to the movies, etc.
All these basic behaviors that accompany us in each of our days are governed by the brain’s reward system.
Often, when we talk about this system, it is common to hear that its most fundamental priority is to ensure our survival, all the processes that go towards this primordial instinct are automatic and are governed, in most cases, by a very basic emotion: fear.
It is he who makes us cautious, who reminds us that life carries certain dangers and that it is often worth staying in our comfort zone.
But what about the fun?What are all these positive behaviors mentioned above?Believe it or not, the motivation and well-being found in the realization of certain behaviors are also part of our evolution.
Sometimes people are surrounded by multiple stimuli and different situations, in these contexts it is necessary to prioritize the good, which at some point becomes a benefit to itself.
For example, our brain will reward us when, after a stressful day, we choose to go out with a special friend to have a drink and relax. You want to give us presents, too? To dopamine when, in the middle of a heat In the morning we went out to look for a glass of water to hydrate.
Therefore, the purpose of this brain circuit is to motivate us to have specific behaviors that it deems appropriate.
“Every experience of your life, from individual conversations to your broader culture, shapes the microscopic details of your brain. Neurologically, who you are depends on where you’ve been, what you think and what you’re doing. “David Eagleman
When we talk about the brain reward system, we mean a number of structures that are activated when reward or strengthening stimuli are detected.
For example, when we see a freshly baked pizza, an ice cream, a book we were waiting for publication, or any stimulus that corresponds to our tastes and needs at the moment, the brain responds by releasing a neurotransmitter, dopamine. motivation to achieve this goal appears.
It was in the 1950s that the existence of this mechanism was discovered; during this decade, neurologists James Olds and Peter discovered that by stimulating certain areas of the brain, mammals felt more motivated to achieve something.
This discovery was a revolution to the point of thinking that by applying electrodes in various areas of the brain, it was possible to change the behavior of humans.
So much so that in 1972 a highly controversial experiment was conducted that sought to change the behavior of a young homosexual, whose data and findings were published in the Journal of Behavioral Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry.
On the other hand, and at the root of all these more or less ethical experiments and tests, one thing that was achieved was to understand what structures were involved in the brain’s reward system. They’re next.
This is the main route by which dopamine is released and traveled, begins in the ventral tegmental zone and connects, in turn, with structures as relevant as the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.
This structure is linked to pleasure and enriching experiences
More than a structure, it is actually a group of neurons (dopaminergic cells) located in the mesencephalus, this area is related to basic processes, such as intense emotions: love, learning, motivation, orgasms and also vicious behaviors.
In this case, we have another type of accumulation of neurons involved in processes such as pleasure, laughter, motivation, fear, aggression, addiction, etc.
The cerebral cortex is the outerst and most sophisticated layer of the brain, and where most of our executive functions or cognitive processes are regulated.
This area is also linked to the reward system. However, it should be remembered that none of these structures operate in isolation; all are interconnected by a structure called the limbic engine strengthening circuit.
This mechanism combines motivational and emotional areas with motor functions, which allow us to move and even plan behaviors and plans, thanks to the prefrontal cortex.
We talked about it at first. Whenever we talk about the brain’s reward system, it’s common to link it to addictive behaviors.
Now that we know that this circuit is involved in many other processes and behaviors, it’s time to understand why some people end up in these addictive states.
We know that there are many factors: social, family and even psychological, however, it is important to know that, as some studies have shown, there are certain genetic components that can make some people more sensitive than others.
This in itself is revealing because, as research from the University of Maryland explains, in many cases it facilitates treatment.
For example, some changes in the Mesolimbic reward system are known to facilitate vicious behaviors.
However, in addition to triggers and causes, there is one factor we cannot ignore: we know that the brain rewards us or directs us towards achieving certain things that it considers positive.
If so, why do vicious behaviors persist if they are harmful?Well, what’s really going on is that some harmful substances, like any kind of drug, are able to do it, the reward system completely.
It changes and changes in such a way that it loses control until it affects almost any area of our brain. The person lives with one goal: to obtain this substance or to repeat a certain behavior compulsively.
Our reality changes completely, as does our behavior, our personality and, of course, our health.
Therefore, understanding how the brain’s reward system works allows us to better understand the human being, is a mechanism that regulates how we see much of our behavior, the positive and the negative.