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Neurotransmitters are just "global variables" to the GPU. What the variable does or means is trained. Probably trained in the context of "I/O" signals. E.g. if
by dboreham 2y ago
Neurotransmitters are just "global variables" to the GPU. What the variable does or means is trained. Probably trained in the context of "I/O" signals. E.g. if the chemical also speeds up heart rate or breathing then that becomes part of the training data set.
So Dopamine can potentially "do" different things in different examples of the same animal, if environmental training data is sufficiently different.
- Aurornis 2y ago> Neurotransmitters are just "global variables" to the GPU. No, neurotransmitters are very local. Dopamine exists all throughout your body, including your bloodstream. The dopamine in one location is uncoupled from the dopamine in another location. The dopamine in your bloodstream can't get into your brain. Dopamine within the brain doesn't spill over into entirely different regions of the brain.
- shemtay 2y agois it not true though that activity/threshholds of dopamine synapses can be globally or semi-globally up and down regulated?
- loa_in_ 2y agoNot true. Down/up regulation happens in areas where (sometimes called) psychoactive substances and/or regulatory nervous signals reach. Substances that cross blood brain barrier still might not reach areas due to lowered blood flow or tissue damage.
- pepa65 2y agoAnd dopamine cannot cross the blood-brain barrier.
- dayvigo 2y agoNo, activity and expression are always local. Exclusively. There are no global levers.
- immibis 2y agoI'm pretty sure there are things that affect the brain globally... nutrient availability? Oxygen availability? Sledgehammers?
- Aurornis 2y agoIt is not true. It’s unfortunate that so many podcasters have leaned into the myths about being able to manipulate dopamine as some global up/down thing you can adjust by following certain protocols. Andrew Huberman is among the worst at this because he has enough education that he should know better. I think he’s too enamored with the traffic and clicks he gets when he talks about dopamine, so he’s willing to stretch the truth or even break it completely if it will make for engaging podcast content. Some of the studies he cites over and over again about dopamine don’t even say what he claims. Huberman is a joke among people who actually know the science, but he became a hero to people who thought he was just a nice guy sharing free knowledge with them.
- braebo 2y agoWould you say the harm outweighs the good Huberman does with his ability to communicate complex concepts in ways that are more digestible to laymen?