Recently, I was asked by my AP Bio teacher to do a report (not just myself, obviously, but the entire class) on something we felt passionately about and related directly to the human mind. I chose online gaming.

 

 

 

In my research, I found out many things about online gaming addictions. The main cause I found was that of dopamine. This is a drug that is used for both cardiac and mental stimulation. In heart attack cases, small amounts of dopamine will calm and regulate an otherwise dangerously erratic heart.

 

 

 

The main point of this post, however, is in relation to the mind. Dopamine is a chemical naturally produced by your brain. This chemical has been tied to one of two causes (they've yet to pin down exactly which one it is): Either pleasure (motivation to do something again), or desire (the want to do something again). While these two might seem similar, imagine eating a piece of your favorite food.

 

 

 

The taste in your mouth when you eat the food is the pleasure. Then imagine, a few days later you see another serving of this food, the desire would trigger the memory of the taste which would make you want to eat it again. The difference is hard to understand, but it IS there.

 

 

 

Now to the point. Dopamine is naturally produced by your brain and it is what motivates people to do things. Rats that had their dopamine levels drastically reduced seemed to no longer have the motivation to eat, though when force-fed, their brain scans showed the same enjoyment of the food.

 

 

 

How does this relate to us? When playing an online game, the dopamine receptors in your brain become hyper-sensitive and the production of dopamine increases. This makes you enjoy the game at FAR greater levels than if you were simply doing something you needed to do (homework, dishes, etc.).

 

 

 

To further back up my point, several anti-depressant medications are manufactured with dopamine. Depression deadens the receptors which recognize dopamine in the brain and decrease the production of it. Several studies are taking place, currently, on the effects of online gaming as an anti-depressant.

 

 

 

I dont know quite where this belongs but I felt it might be something I could share with the community as I have seen several "why cant I quit" threads.

 

 

 

Thank you for your time,

 

-- Exile

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not exactly a bullet-proof explanation but you're onto something. Firstly, dopamine is a neurotransmitic precursor to epinephrine (adrenaline.) Any dose would cause an increase in heart rate--not calm it. Also, I don't know if you have taken AP-Chemistry, or any form of toxicology, but Dopamine is strictly tied to L-DOPA and phenylalanine. Phenylalanine, tryptophan, all of those stimulant amino acids use the same active pathway. The increase of one inhibits the flow of another. A decrease in tryptophan causes an increase in sensibility/depressant sensory glands. From an immediate standpoint, and what you are taught in AP-Biology, your theory is great. But from a realistic standpoint, it just doesn't happen. That would explain the complete lack of uncircumstantial proof in humans. The reason kids can't quit may be additive (and possibly biologic), but it's not the fault of dopamine.

 

 

 

Edit- A lot of confusion comes from misconception. Just because playing RuneScape triggers activity in the same part of the brain as coffee or solitaire doesn't mean they are caused by a common stimulus. Just like the "you only use 10% of your brain" theory

 

 

 

What you've written is factually sound, I'm just going on practicality. Course that's the stuff that makes your teacher mark you down 20 points (unless they know better, which most of the time, they don't). The brain is still a great deal mystery to us, the truth can fall into the grey ( :lol: ) On the bright side it makes for an interesting report. Difficult, but interesting.

i'm telling my friends to read this

Thank you very much! ^_^

 

 

 

I hope it was informative and easy to read. All criticism, as long as constructive, is always appreciated.

very good read exile! Luckily, I dont have to worry about it since i do not intend on quitting anytime soon...

 

 

 

 

 

... :cry: although im in a bad mood now because i got killed due to poison while nat crafting and lost bout 200k : :wall:

=D> =D> =D> =D> this is for you exile =D> =D> =D> =D>

Thanks again, hi XD

 

 

 

Equal, Thanks for the compliment and im sorry to hear ya died... Play some more XD Get the dopamine flowing lol. It should help with the bad mood, take a break from RC though. Studies show that doing something with a negative connection attached to it is actually counter productive.

 

 

 

:thumbsup: Good luck!

I wonder how your dopamine levels go down. :-k Well I havn't played Runescape too much recently. I'd probably guess that your dopamine is made when you have the desire to do something. Lately I havn't had the desire to play Runescape.

 

 

 

Thanks for the info. :)

Wow great read loads of information in there, what grade did you get for this?

Interesting find. Yes it is indead very hard to quit.

 

 

 

When I get angry I play shooting games and shoot some things.

I wonder how your dopamine levels go down. :-k Well I havn't played Runescape too much recently. I'd probably guess that your dopamine is made when you have the desire to do something. Lately I havn't had the desire to play Runescape.

 

 

 

Thanks for the info. :)

 

 

 

Well there are (I think they are glands) glands that secrete the dopamine. Those just release less depending on your positive or negative stimuli. Also, its not just the decrease of the dopamine but the receptors that register the effects can weaken or die. That is pretty much what depression is (but there are, of course, other factors).

 

 

 

Its actually the other way around. If you see a computer, for example, the dopamine is produced which makes you want to play. So the dopamine causes the desire, not the other way around.

 

 

 

The apathy towards Runescape could simply stem from the fact that you dont really care for it any more. That or you just dont want to play right now. Its not really an addiction, its more of an affinity or a like/dislike situation. If you dont like something, even if it produces dopamine you wont want to play it.

 

 

 

Thanks for your post!

Interesting find. Yes it is indead very hard to quit.

 

 

 

When I get angry I play shooting games and shoot some things.

 

 

 

Yeah I like to come off RuneScape and play Battlefield 2142, helps me relax :)

Haha no, thank you.

 

 

 

You've been the first post I've seen in a long time here in General P2P that acctually consists of logical thinking, and not "Do you like..." threads.

 

 

 

:

Wow great read loads of information in there, what grade did you get for this?

 

 

 

Lol... Well not to brag but a 200/100 XD She let me be exempt from the semester final. (Still had to take the AP exam though :P It was a breeze)

 

 

 

For those of you who dont have AP and are wondering what im talking about, the people who make the SAT/PSAT/ACT are called College Board. That company also makes exams for AP (advanced placement) courses. You take the exam and if you get a 3 or better (I believe it caps at 5?) you get a college credit for that subject. My teacher also makes a little exam just for our class like a regular end-of-year exam.

 

 

 

Interesting find. Yes it is indeed very hard to quit.

 

 

 

When I get angry I play shooting games and shoot some things.

 

 

 

Lol, I do the same. I play the hitman series :)

 

 

 

Thanks for both of your posts!

Haha no, thank you.

 

 

 

You've been the first post I've seen in a long time here in General P2P that acctually consists of logical thinking, and not "Do you like..." threads.

 

 

 

:

 

 

 

Funny enough this is my 2nd actual post (only 22 total XD).

 

 

 

I also based a science project on this a while back (of course not this thorough, it was maybe 8th grade; Im in 11th now) so I just figured Id share the info. Not sure if its in the right area though :P

I also did a report on this, let me see If I can find it..might have lost it.

 

 

 

Edit: It's gone :*(..I had to reformat my around fall of last year, and it must of been erased :(.sry

I also did a report on this, let me see If I can find it..might have lost it.

 

 

 

It would be interesting to compare notes and Id be happy to get your opinion on some of it :)

 

 

 

If you find it, let me know =)

Really nice post, it should be sticky :lol:

Oh ok o.O Were in general now lol

 

 

 

And thanks for the sticky comment but I think its a little early to even think about something like that.

Well thats cool to know!

 

 

 

If only they could make homework do the same.

Not exactly a bullet-proof explanation but you're onto something. Firstly, dopamine is a neurotransmitic precursor to epinephrine (adrenaline.) Any dose would cause an increase in heart rate--not calm it. Also, I don't know if you have taken AP-Chemistry, or any form of toxicology, but Dopamine is strictly tied to L-DOPA and phenylalanine. Phenylalanine, tryptophan, all of those stimulant amino acids use the same active pathway. The increase of one inhibits the flow of another. A decrease in tryptophan causes an increase in sensibility/depressant sensory glands. From an immediate standpoint, and what you are taught in AP-Biology, your theory is great. But from a realistic standpoint, it just doesn't happen. That would explain the complete lack of uncircumstantial proof in humans. The reason kids can't quit may be additive (and possibly biologic), but it's not the fault of dopamine.

 

 

 

Edit- A lot of confusion comes from misconception. Just because playing RuneScape triggers activity in the same part of the brain as coffee or solitaire doesn't mean they are caused by a common stimulus. Just like the "you only use 10% of your brain" theory :)

Am I the only one that believes that people here take this game way too damn seriously? :roll:

Not exactly a bullet-proof explanation but you're onto something. Firstly, dopamine is a neurotransmitic precursor to epinephrine (adrenaline.) Any dose would cause an increase in heart rate--not calm it. Also, I don't know if you have taken AP-Chemistry, or any form of toxicology, but Dopamine is strictly tied to L-DOPA and phenylalanine. Phenylalanine, tryptophan, all of those stimulant amino acids use the same active pathway. The increase of one inhibits the flow of another. A decrease in tryptophan causes an increase in sensibility/depressant sensory glands. From an immediate standpoint, and what you are taught in AP-Biology, your theory is great. But from a realistic standpoint, it just doesn't happen. That would explain the complete lack of uncircumstantial proof in humans. The reason kids can't quit may be additive (and possibly biologic), but it's not the fault of dopamine.

 

 

 

Edit- A lot of confusion comes from misconception. Just because playing RuneScape triggers activity in the same part of the brain as coffee or solitaire doesn't mean they are caused by a common stimulus. Just like the "you only use 10% of your brain" theory :)

 

 

 

Well I did see that it has been used for heart treatment... Also a sci fair judge made a comment about that, as did my teacher :P Dunno what the specific case in reference might have been though. Personally, I have yet to take a chem class, thats next year.

 

 

 

Thanks for your corrections =) Maybe you should make a sticky XD Lol

Now what makes you say that? Because someone actually cares about what happens to you when you do something? I dont believe this was really the post to put that in... Maybe one analyzing a futile aspect of the game but not one that actually has any type of logic to it.

 

 

 

Also - Whats wrong with someone doing what they enjoy? If I wanna devote 20 hours a day to this game, its no ones affair but mine. Please dont post things unrelated to the topic on my, or anyone elses, threads.

What you've written is factually sound, I'm just going on practicality. Course that's the stuff that makes your teacher mark you down 20 points (unless they know better, which most of the time, they don't). The brain is still a great deal mystery to us, the truth can fall into the grey ( :lol: ) On the bright side it makes for an interesting report. Difficult, but interesting.

I tend to make my things harder than others... Most people did things about learning styles (>_>) and got like 95s... Mine was like 30 pages, had a 4 page bibliography... I kinda went all out on it XD It had an accompanying power point :P...

 

 

 

Like with my AP lit class... We were reading a holocaust novel and I made our research project 2 weeks longer than it had to be lol.... Most people did it overnight :P

 

 

 

Character flaw or overachiever :P Either way you spin it, makes it a lot harder lol. Seems to pay off though ^_^

 

 

 

Edit: Heh and nice pun XD Forgot to mention it.