14 DAY TRIAL // As evidenced by many studies, one of the main things promoting addiction is dopamine. High-risk drugs such as cocaine and heroin act on this neurotransmitter, which is absolutely essential to our happiness. Now, a new research has demonstrated that the behaviors of people looking for stimulation are in fact connected to dopamine craving. This is a very easy path to developing addictions such as drug use and gambling, the researchers behind the investigation say, as these types of actions satisfy people's need for stimulation.
Many individuals experience the urge to engage in new activities every day, and that's perfectly understandable. However, some are looking for more than that, experiences that will take their senses to a whole-new level. Other than extreme sports and gambling, there isn't very much else that can fulfill that and be legal. Psychologists have been aware of this type of behavior for years, but science has failed to pin down an underlying hormonal activity that triggers it, until now. The international group of scientists in charge of the recent study came from the University of Copenhagen, the University of Aarhus, and the University of Tokyo, in Japan.
The investigators were able to determine that people with elevated levels of dopamine in their brains were also more likely than others to look for new experiences and external stimulation. In addition, using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans, the researchers showed that, in these people, dopamine was active in more regions of the brain than normally. This work was conducted at the Aarhus University Hospital, on healthy volunteers. All the participants were also questioned as to their habits and behaviors, in terms of living and searching for new experiences.
The work was led by University of Copenhagen Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology Professor of Neurobiology and Pharmacology Albert Gjedde, who collaborated closely with co-leader Doctor Arne Moller, who is based at the Aarhus University. Details of their investigations appear in the February 1 issue of the respected journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). This type of research may inform healthcare experts better in devising new treatment approaches to curing addictions without inflicting too much harm on their patients, ScienceDaily reports.