Thrill Fatigue: How Dopamine Devalues Repeated Rewards
New research shows that the same dopamine receptor mechanism responsible for drug addiction also governs the natural decline in motivation when we repeat rewarding behaviors. By studying male fruit flies, researchers found that dopamine acting through the D2 receptor promotes persistence during mating, but repeated experiences cause these receptors to desensitize. Once desensitized, dopamine becomes less effective, and males abandon mating more easily when faced with distractions or threats. This reveals the first natural function of a mechanism long associated with addiction, suggesting a shared biological basis for boredom, fatigue, and declining interest in repeated activities. ….[READ]
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