Neuroscientists challenge "dopamine detox" trend with evidence from avoidance learning

Neuroscientists challenge "dopamine detox" trend with evidence from avoidance learning

A new study published in Current Biology sheds light on how the brain learns to avoid harmful situations, revealing that dopamine—commonly associated with pleasure and reward—also plays a flexible and complex role in helping us sidestep danger. Researchers at Northwestern University found that two subregions of the brain’s reward center respond differently to negative experiences, and these responses shift over time as learning progresses. The r…