So all of this might seem a little bit complicated , but it's all very simple desire for things increases dopamine . But then our level of dopamine drops below baseline and it's that drop below baseline that triggers the motivation to bring that dopamine level back up by going and pursuing the thing that you wanted in the first place . Now , of course , as this is happening , you're not conscious of your dopamine levels , you experience this as context dependent craving and pursuit because remember the prefrontal cortex is involved in context setting and craving and pursuit because it relates to action and movement , which is one of the general features of the dopamine system .
Well , that's not pure coincidence . That's because desire and the need to move in order to pursue and reach goals are one and the same process . So if I desire a sandwich or I desire a cup of coffee or I desire some water .
OK . So all of this might seem a little bit complicated , but it's all very simple desire for things increases dopamine . But then our level of dopamine drops below baseline and it's that drop below baseline that triggers the motivation to bring that dopamine level back up by going and pursuing the thing that you wanted in the first place .
When you have a mountain , you have the bottom of the mountain . When we think about dopamine peaks and dopamine baselines , we have to include that trough because that trough , that is the level of dopamine below baseline really dictates whether or not you are going to feel motivated to pursue something or not . So I'm gonna give you a visual in your mind .
That increase in dopamine is by no happenstance . No mistake relates also to our propensity and desire to move . Remember earlier , I told you there's a separate circuit of dopamine that triggers movement and that when it's depleted is causing things like deficits and movement related to Parkinson's or other movement disorders .
