How are dopamine troughs correlated with both motivation to do things AND procrastination?
The most recent dopamine episode talked about how a dopamine trough causes us to become motivated to move and reclaim the dopamine peak we just descended from, but later on in the episode, it also talked about how being in a dopamine trough causes us to feel pain and become unmotivated (procrastination). Can you clarify this contradiction? On a related note, using the sandwich example, after eating the sandwich, I achieve a dopamine peak followed by a dopamine trough, even if the sandwich was really good, I'm unlikely to want to seek out the sandwich again because I'm full. Is it common for there to be a refractory period after dopamine peaks or is this something specifically related to how hunger works?
Why do SSRI's/anti depressants cause other medications to lose there effects temporarily?
Hey Hubey, just curious as to if there's any science behind psychotropic drugs preventing other medications from having any effect when you first start taking then? I've taken quite a few antidepressants/anxiety meds over the years. Every time I start taking them I experience a loss of sensation/effect from other medications I'm on. Currently my ADD medication (dexedrine) has lost its effect since I started wellbutrin/celexa. Previously it's prevented rx pain medication from working. I feel like it has to do with the increase of neuroplasticity that you've mentioned regarding the effects of antidepressants.
Cannabis vaporization via the Volcano
Hi Dr. Huberman, Thanks for all the incredibly helpful, scientific information you broadcast. Your content has truly been an inspiration and transformational in my life in many ways. I’m writing because you speak often of cannabis vaporizing, but it seems you’re focused mostly on the handheld style devices that use cannabis oil, heat it directly, and involve a direct draw of the hot vapor from the device into the lungs (aka “vape pen”). There is another group of vaporizing devices that use dry flower (or sometimes oil or other THC extracts) with primarily convection heating. One example is the Storz & Bickel “Volcano,” which has been an industry staple for decades. I have no affiliation with the company or product. The way the device works is by blowing hot air at a set temperature over the cannabis into a bag that inflates, from which the vapor can then be drawn. This also gives the user time to let the vapor cool down, versus the direct inhalation from the modern style “vape pens.” It appears an NIH-funded study has been done about this very device, and I’m not sure if you’re familiar with it: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16637053/ I’m not a medical researcher and don’t know how to follow the rabbit trail to see if this has been peer reviewed or otherwise studied since or is “good science” (hence asking you!). But this appears to conclude that the Volcano is a safe and effective means of consuming cannabis by inhalation for medical purposes - when used at certain temperature settings and bag filing proportions. I know you’ve covered cannabis vaping before, but don’t think you’ve touched on this device or this study. Is this a “good” study? And does this change or make you question any of your views about cannabis that you’ve included in prior episodes or AMA answers? Thanks so much for your consideration and, again, for what you do. You’re a true mensch! Gratefully yours, An avid listener