First published 2011
Pleasure drives human behavior in ways we barely understand. Johns Hopkins neuroscientist David Linden examines how our brains process pleasure and why some experiences become addictive while others do not. He traces the neural pathways that activate when we eat, have sex, use drugs, or perform altruistic acts. Linden explains why nicotine and heroin create dependency but LSD does not. He reveals why scientists have struggled to develop safe appetite suppressants. The book combines laboratory research with real world examples to show how pleasure circuits function at the cellular level. Linden looks ahead to a future where we might control these circuits directly, creating new forms of pleasure on demand. His research demonstrates that addiction and ecstasy operate through the same fundamental brain mechanisms.
Genres: psychology, neuroscience, addiction, brain, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: informative, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: informative, scientific
240 pages · Hardcover · Viking