Correlations-among-Conservation-Laws-Homeostasis-and-the-Activation-of-Dopamine-Neurons-by.-Stephen-Lowell-Takowsky.pdf

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Correlations among Conservation Laws,
Homeostasis, and the Activation of
Dopamine Neurons
By. Stephen Lowell Takowsky
Many people believe life is not fair.
What if we have been assessing the fairness of life
incorrectly?
People tend to compare their lives to the lives of others to gauge fairness.
Unfortunately, that rarely if ever produces an accurate point of reference. People
may appear to have the world at their feet, and outsiders may view these people
with envy. However, what do outsiders truly know about what other people have
gone through in the past, or more to the point…what is in store for them in their
future?
In reality, we do not have enough insight into another’s life to make an accurate
assessment on the overall fairness of life. People form opinions about the lives of
others with only part of the information. This less than satisfactory amount of
information leads outsiders to the belief that some people are luckier than others,
and that life is not fair. Ultimately, assumptions are what lead outsiders to the
conclusion that some people end their lives having experienced more pleasure and
happiness than pain and sadness.
You may fantasize about the happiness you would experience if you were a
billionaire, but do you know the real cost of this happiness?
Is it plausible that life is fair?
Yes, but you are going to need an open mind and about 20 minutes.
Proceed to the next page if you have both.
There is a system in the brain that spreads a neurotransmitter called dopamine to a
range of brain areas. The output of this system—measured as activation of
dopamine neurons—is believed to correspond to a reward signal. The activity of
dopamine neurons does not increase when a positive input that was expected is
presented, but only on the occurrence of a positive input that was not
expected. What this means is that when you receive something positive that you
were expecting (think of your paycheck), there is no dopamine signal. However, if
you are suddenly informed you will receive a raise, this should generate a positive
reward signal; and if you suddenly lose your job or receive a cut in pay, this should
generate a negative reward signal. Usually laboratory rats will work to the point of
starvation just to receive artificial electrical stimulation of the dopamine neurons.
Cocaine acts on the reward system, and so there is reason to believe that the
positive rush people experience on taking cocaine is an emotional signal. This rush
can be followed by a dip in emotional state; and overstimulation of the dopamine
system can lead to strong negative after-effects. The usual explanation for this is
that there are systems in the brain that try to keep the dopamine neurons' activation
in balance. When neurons are over stimulated, these balancing systems activate;
this leads to an overshoot after the stimulation has been withdrawn.

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