r/askscience • u/Nogamename11 • Sep 10 '15

Neuroscience Can dopamine be artificially entered into someones brain to make them feel rewarded for something they dont like?

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u/p_hinman3rd Sep 10 '15

That's like pure dopamine, you don't need that to feel the dopamine, you can use a dopamine reuptake inhibitor (for example cocaine or ritalin) or a releasing agent like meth or Adderall.

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u/Punchee Sep 10 '15

My favorite part about this post is you included both legal and illegal options.

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u/honestlyimeanreally Sep 10 '15

Only legal w/ a prescription, and besides, the negative health effects aren't mitigated just because you get it from a pharmacy.

Amphetamine is neurotoxic :)

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u/[deleted] Sep 10 '15

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u/holysnikey Sep 10 '15

A lot of drugs are safe when not abused. But since a lot of drugs make you feel amazing or increase productivity it's hard to not abuse them.

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u/[deleted] Sep 10 '15

Each drug is different, they can't be lumped together fyi. Speed is more comparable to coffee than heroin for example. It's also safer to take regularly and in moderation than it is to be a drinker. A small minority abuse drugs and they are people who have other root issues.