drethelin comments on A Crash Course in the Neuroscience of Human Motivation - Less Wrong

119 Post author: lukeprog 19 August 2011 09:15PM

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Comment author: drethelin 20 August 2011 08:50:52AM 2 points [-]

I like this format. The most fascinating part to me, and I guess I was somewhat aware of this before, is the concept that you can use dopamine based reinforcement to train yourself to enjoy certain behaviors by linking them to behaviors you already find rewarding.

Comment author: Pfft 28 August 2011 05:37:52AM *  3 points [-]

I think the inverse is even more striking: the Sinclair Method for treating alcoholism consists of the alcoholic just continuing to drink as before, but taking an opiod antagonist one hour before drinking. Before reading this article that just seemed like black magic to me, but it makes perfect sense once you know that neurons will become less connected if they fire together in the absence of dopamine.

Comment author: gwern 28 August 2011 12:46:20AM 3 points [-]

There are even cooler ways. I like the idea of using nicotine.