Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps produce a reward response in the brain. This response kicks into action when we do something pleasurable- like eating highly palatable food. It is known that there is a reduction in this reward response in obese people. However, it is unclear whether the reduction in reward precedes obesity and [...]

Last week, David Rock wrote a fantastic article called “(Not So Great) Expectations: Use Them or Be Used By Them”. The article cites research from Wolfram Schultz (who serves as a science advisor to Posit Science) on how expectations affect dopamine levels in the brain, which in turn affects happiness. The gist of it goes [...]