People’s cravings for high-calorie foods, sexual pleasure, exercise, and many other pleasurable things can be explained from a cultural, historical, or psychological point of view. However, the professor of neuroscience in the book “The Brain and Pleasure” relies on a biological approach.
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A person is able to enjoy shopping, meditation, study, alcohol, dancing until the morning, prayer, surfing the Internet, etc. And the mechanism of the emergence of pleasure in all cases is the same.
Feelings of pleasure are associated with the activation of a small group of interconnected brain regions called the pleasure neural circuit in the central forebrain. Difficult name, but the result is always the same.
Pleasure is a beautiful thing, but it also has a dark side: addiction. “It is associated with long-term changes in the electrical, morphological and biochemical functions of neurons,” writes Professor Linden. “These changes lead to many of the horrendous manifestations of addiction, including addiction (the need for ever-increasing doses of pleasure), cravings, withdrawal, relapses.”
And the surest way to defeat addiction is to understand its nature.
Fatty, sweet and salty
From a neuroscience point of view, our appetite is the result of a complex and multifaceted interaction of hormones and neurohormones. The desire to eat something does not originate in the stomach or intestines, but in the hypothalamus. It is this part of the brain that signals the need to eat, evaluating our emotional and physical state, time of day, satiety, as well as the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates that have already entered the body.
The process of eating food causes the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is subjectively experienced by us as pleasure.
Why are we so drawn to sweet, salty, fatty foods that are considered not the most healthy? You can also satisfy your hunger with a salad, but most will prefer pizza. And why is it so difficult for us to stop at one cake?
The process of eating food causes the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is subjectively experienced by us as a feeling of pleasure (dopamine is called the “pleasure hormone”).
“Due to the dietary patterns of our distant prehistoric ancestors, we are genetically programmed to like certain tastes and smells more—especially sweet, fatty, and salty foods,” writes David Linden. “In humans and rats, there is a greater selection of dopamine in the process of ingesting fatty and sugary foods.”
In addition, it is precisely such food that leads to a quick effect: the level of glucose in the blood rises, and for a while we feel more alert and more energetic.
The author of the study explains: “Strong and fast-paced pleasure cues are more addictive.” Interestingly, the combination of sugary and fatty foods causes overdependence, creating a significantly greater activation of the pleasure centers.
During experiments on laboratory rats, scientists noticed that subjects who have already eaten regular food and refuse it, are ready to absorb sweet and fatty foods further. A similar story happens to us when, after a hearty meal, we are unable to refuse dessert.
Sex
Studies have shown that during orgasm, the same dopamine is also released. However, the pleasure of orgasm is stronger than that of dessert. What is the reason?
“Orgasm is a multifaceted experience with various sensory, emotional and other rewarding components,” explains David Linden. “This is a unique transcendental experience. In orgasm, we perceive all aspects of it together.”
In addition to intense, but rather short-term pleasure from orgasm (25 seconds for women and 15 for men), there is also post-orgasmic pleasure. This state is the most important element in strengthening relationships in a couple. This is partly due to the release of the hormone oxytocin from the pituitary gland, which is under the control of the hypothalamus.
Oxytocin is involved in many attachment mechanisms, and not just after orgasm. For example, the release of this hormone occurs during childbirth and breastfeeding, which forms and strengthens the mother-child bond.
Training
With food and sex, everything is clear. But how can regular exercise bring pleasure, because it is often associated with unpleasant physical sensations and even pain? However, you have probably heard more than once the confessions of those who, after a good run, feel better and more cheerful. The secret is that regular exercise creates a lot of changes in the brain – for example, it activates the growth and development of small blood vessels, as well as the process of creating new nerve cells.
In addition, physical activity also gives quick short-term effects that last 1-2 hours: an increase in pain threshold, a decrease in anxiety and the so-called “runner’s euphoria”.
To become a fan of fitness, you need to start doing it. And in 2-3 weeks you will not be able to live without sports
David Linden admits that science is not yet able to accurately answer the question of exactly what biochemical changes in the brain generate physical activity. However, some experiments have shown that training is often accompanied by an increased release of brain opioids. These neuropeptides play an important role in the formation of motivations, emotions, behavioral attachment, response to stress and pain.
As a result of a large-scale experiment, it was possible to prove that a long walk at a fast pace, not turning into a run, performed three times a week for four months, gives the same effect as taking antidepressants.
Regular exercise activates the release of dopamine. To become a fan of fitness, you need to start doing it. And after 2-3 weeks you will not be able to live without sports. Useful information for those who want to become more active.
About the Expert: David J. Linden is Professor of Neurology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Neurophysiology.