Hijacked Brain

Insightful perspective on dopamine and what it does to the brain. The essay argues that it distorts the process by which the brain links experiences, behaviors, or cues with positive or negative outcomes. This type of learning helps individuals decide what actions to repeat or avoid, like learning not to touch a hot stove after being burned. Calipari’s research examines how addictive substances disrupt these adaptive learning mechanisms, making harmful drug use seem rewarding and interfering with the ability to learn from negative consequences. Her work focuses on how addiction alters the biological circuits and neurochemistry that underlie decision making and response to environmental cues, highlighting the role of dopamine in these processes.

Normally, dopamine helps us recognize what is important (good or bad) and guides us to repeat actions that lead to positive outcomes while avoiding those that bring negative ones. However, addictive substances flood the system with dopamine even in response to harmful behaviors, causing the brain to misinterpret these actions as valuable or desirable.

Over time, this persistent and artificial dopamine release tells the brain that using the drug is not only pleasurable, but also worth repeating—even as it leads to negative consequences, such as health problems or social difficulties. The ability to learn from bad experiences becomes impaired, so the person starts to treat harmful outcomes as if they are good or pleasurable, reinforcing the cycle of addiction and making it harder to break free.