David J. Linden Books
David J. Linden is a professor of neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Known for: The Compass Of Pleasure: How Our Brains Make Fat, Love, And Religion Feel So Good
Books by David J. Linden
The Compass Of Pleasure: How Our Brains Make Fat, Love, And Religion Feel So Good
In this engaging exploration of neuroscience, David J. Linden explains how the brain’s pleasure circuitry drives behaviors ranging from eating and sex to drug use and spiritual experience. Drawing on cutting-edge research, he reveals how pleasure and addiction share common neural pathways and how evolution has shaped our pursuit of reward.
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The Neurobiological Basis of Pleasure
When neuroscientists speak of pleasure, we often begin with dopamine—but that story is more intricate than the popular image of dopamine as a 'happiness molecule.' In the brain, dopamine acts less as a direct signal of bliss and more as a ledger of prediction and learning. It surges not when we feel...
From The Compass Of Pleasure: How Our Brains Make Fat, Love, And Religion Feel So Good
Natural and Artificial Rewards
When we talk about pleasure, the boundary between natural and artificial quickly blurs. From the standpoint of the brain, eating a slice of cake and inhaling cocaine trigger overlapping networks. Both elevate dopamine in the nucleus accumbens. Yet the magnitude and persistence differ—natural rewards...
From The Compass Of Pleasure: How Our Brains Make Fat, Love, And Religion Feel So Good
About David J. Linden
David J. Linden is a professor of neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is known for his accessible writing on brain science and is also the author of 'The Accidental Mind' and 'Touch: The Science of Hand, Heart, and Mind.'
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David J. Linden is a professor of neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
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