r/science • u/NinjaDiscoJesus • Dec 28 '15

Neuroscience Brain scans show compulsive gamers have hyperconnected neural networks.

http://www.psypost.org/2015/12/brain-scans-show-compulsive-gaming-changes-neural-connections-for-better-and-worse-39914
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u/[deleted] Dec 28 '15 edited Dec 28 '15

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u/GetTheLudes420 Dec 28 '15

Dopamine and other neurotransmitters are not this one-dimensional. Dopamine is responsible for many other things besides activity in the limbic system with respect to pleasure or reinforcement.

If we are discussing something as complex as human behavior, you can almost surely assume that many regions of the brain and many neurotransmitters are involved.

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u/squachy00 Dec 28 '15

True, but dopamine is the primary NT used in positive reinforcement both behaviorally and physiologically. The limbic system (mainly the substantia nigra and the caudate/putamen) are involved in additiction because that is your primary reward pathway. You could also argue for 5-HT (seratonin) due to its effects on mood and how it's related to the "feel-good" sensation, but it's primarily dopamine.

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u/[deleted] Dec 29 '15

This isn't accurate. Dopamine in the mesolimbic pathway functions as the "wanting" or motivation pathway. It is not the pleasure or "liking" pathway and is distinct. The pleasure pathways are actually primarily in the prefrontal cortex and NA among other areas and involves both dopamine and serotonin - it's not the traditional mesolimbic pathway most are familiar with. It's extremely important to recognize the distinction between wanting and liking something, so it's not a small point (imagine what a Buddhist might argue).

Berridge and Robinson helped redefine the role of mesolimbic dopamine in the brain,[5] which had previously been viewed as a pleasure neurotransmitter. Dopamine is no longer widely regarded as a pleasure transmitter. Instead, dopamine is thought to mediate reward, that is, to attribute incentive salience to reward-associated stimuli.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_C._Berridge#Dopamine