Dr. Anna Lembke

They're suffering.

Right.

Not yet.

Okay, great.

So dopamine is a chemical that we make in our brains.

It is what's called a neurotransmitter.

And neurotransmitters are the molecules that bridge the gap between neurons.

So neurons are these long spindly cells.

They're like wires in our brains that conduct these electrical circuits that make us who we are.

And those neurons don't actually touch end to end.

There's a little gap between them.

And that gap is called the synapse.

Neurotransmitters are the molecules that bridge that gap that allow for fine-tuned control of those electrical circuits.

Dopamine is one of many brain neurotransmitters.

It's essential for the experience of pleasure, reward, and motivation.

It's also, as I mentioned before, very important to movement.

And it's probably no coincidence that the same molecule that's important for getting our rewards that we need to survive is also important for movement because, you know, for most of our existence, we had to move our bodies to go get a berry bush or get meat.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.