Tag: happiness

  • What does dopamine actually have to do with happiness?

    What does dopamine actually have to do with happiness?

    In popular media, neurotransmitters are often viewed as on-off switches for basic human emotions, but how true is this? Neurotransmitters are chemicals that regulate brain activity by facilitating connection between neurons. Dopamine, for example, is considered to be a switch for feelings of pleasure and happiness, but the reality is slightly more complex.  It is…

  • A genetic link between inflammation and depression?

    A genetic link between inflammation and depression?

    Whilst there are many different cell types in our body, each contains the same DNA. In order to perform their particular roles, the cell types react differently to the DNA’s instructions by controlling when and how much each gene is expressed. There are entire subsets of genes whose only function is to regulate the expression…