Word
dopamine
US/ˈdɑpəˌmaɪn/
UK/dˈɒpɐmˌiːn/
Definition
n. a chemical in your brain that makes you feel pleasure and motivation. You often feel a rush of it when you get a reward or achieve a goal.
n. a neurotransmitter that plays a central role in the brain's reward system, motor control, and executive function. It mediates the anticipation of pleasure rather than just the pleasure itself.
Examples
“Winning the game gave him a quick hit of dopamine.”
“Social media apps are designed to trigger dopamine releases through likes and notifications, keeping users engaged for longer periods.”
“Research suggests that Parkinson's disease is primarily caused by the death of neurons that produce dopamine, leading to the characteristic tremors and loss of motor coordination.”
Examples
simple
“Winning the game gave him a quick hit of dopamine.”
contextual
“Social media apps are designed to trigger dopamine releases through likes and notifications, keeping users engaged for longer periods.”
complex
“Research suggests that Parkinson's disease is primarily caused by the death of neurons that produce dopamine, leading to the characteristic tremors and loss of motor coordination.”
Usage
Uncountable in its general biological sense; occasionally countable when referring to specific types of dopamine receptors or pathways.
Real-World Examples
“Once a mouse learns to avoid a shock, escape itself triggers dopamine release; in other words, the escape – not the discovery – is the reward.” “And when a child actor's career changes or comes to an end, they are left without the dopamine of fame and money that came with their identity as an actor, cautioned Trautman.” Etymology
From DOPA (“dihydroxyphenylalanine”) + -amine. Unrelated to dope.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/dopamine