For a greater understanding of the encultured brain and body…
Dopamine and Addiction – Part One  Posted by dlende on February
3, 2008  By Daniel Lende   The Pathway   In your brain you have
a system that comes up from some of the oldest evolved parts of
your brain to some of the most recently evolved parts.  Reptile
parts to ape parts.  In brain research on addiction, it’s
generally called the mesolimbic dopamine pathway or system.  All
the main addictive drugs affect this system, making the
mesolimbic pathway a core component in addictive behavior. 
Addictive experiences—gambling, shopping, eating and sex—also
impact the mesolimbic dopamine system.   In both scientific
research and the popular press, the dopamine system is often
cast in the role of “bad boy,” a hard-wired brain circuit that
has gotten out of control, self-indulging in an orgy of
pleasure.  That neat story tells us a lot about how we cast our
own morals onto the brain, selectively picking out research to
provide a nice scientific sheen.  Har