4 ms·
Some neuroscientists would argue that addiction is a form of "learning".
by type0 10y ago
Some neuroscientists would argue that addiction is a form of "learning".
- artifaxx 10y agoThat's an interesting way of thinking about it, in some cases there is overlap. Both do transmit dopamine and reinforce neural connections. However this is just one of many types of "addiction", so I think the relationship goes both ways with learning having the potential to be one of many types of addiction.
- ccvannorman 10y agoI guess you learn about reinforcement loops at an intimate level, which is probably good for machine learning/AI
- Zelmor 10y agoWere their experiments be recreated and properly peer-reviewed? Some reviewers argue that neuroscience experiments are mostly not worth the candle. http://andrewgelman.com/2016/09/21/what-has-happened-down-here-is-the-winds-have-changed/ http://andrewgelman.com/2016/09/21/what-has-happened-down-he...
- artifaxx 10y agoThe replication crisis definitely leaves a lot of room for questioning. However, even if all the studies we have were properly replicated we still wouldn't understand addiction perfectly. We still have a lot to learn, just look at how vague definitions of addiction are still http://www.dsm5.org/documents/substance%20use%20disorder%20fact%20sheet.pdf http://www.dsm5.org/documents/substance%20use%20disorder%20f... But both addiction and learning involve the brain's dopamine circuitry; ironically when responding to your point I can't read the relevant articles I found because they are behind paywalls. This article has some interesting commentary but the sources are paywalled: https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/html/10.1055/s-0028-1124107 https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/html/10.10... Most likely there is a connection, but anyone who claims to understand it entirely at this point is overconfident.