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Famous Alex Korb Quotes

“A different Japanese study showed that playing with a dog with which you have a strong bond—a dog that is more likely to make eye contact with you—can increase oxytocin. This suggests that having someone look to you for support or trust can increase oxytocin. Simply petting a dog can also start an upward spiral. Petting, like other forms of light touch, boosts oxytocin. And petting a dog, even someone else’s dog, also increases dopamine and endorphins. The increases in these other neurotransmitters provides even more thrust to an upward spiral.”

PlayDogTrustPetBondDopamineEndorphinsOxytocin
Book:The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time
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“Being around other people and developing close relationships feels good for a reason, and that reason is dopamine. Thus it’s not surprising that dopamine and oxytocin interact with each other. Dopamine neurons connect to the part of the hypothalamus where oxytocin is produced, and oxytocin stimulates the area of the brain stem where dopamine is produced. In addition, the dopamine-rich nucleus accumbens receives input from oxytocin neurons.”

RelationshipDopamineOxytocinHypothalamus
Book:The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time
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“Serotonin—improves willpower, motivation, and mood. Norepinephrine—enhances thinking, focus, and dealing with stress. Dopamine—increases enjoyment and is necessary for changing bad habits. Oxytocin—promotes feelings of trust, love, and connection, and reduces anxiety. GABA—increases feelings of relaxation and reduces anxiety. Melatonin—enhances the quality of sleep. Endorphins—provide pain relief and feelings of elation. Endocannabinoids—improve your appetite and increase feelings of peacefulness and well-being.”

DopamineOxytocinSerotoninMelatoninNorepinephrineGabaEndocannabinoids
Book:The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time
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“Serotonin helps with impulse control, willpower, and resilience. Dopamine is important in enjoyment and habits. Norepinephrine modulates focus and concentration. Oxytocin is essential to close relationships. Other neurotransmitters are important too, like GABA (antianxiety), endorphins (elation and pain relief), and endocannabinoids (appetite and peacefulness). Other chemicals, like BDNF, help grow new neurons, and even proteins in the immune system play a role.”

DopamineEndorphinsOxytocinSerotoninNorepinephrineGabaEndocannabinoidsBdnf
Book:The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time
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“Massage reduces pain because the oxytocin system activates painkilling endorphins. Massage also improves sleep and reduces fatigue by increasing serotonin and dopamine and decreasing the stress hormone cortisol. So if you’re feeling out of sorts, get a massage. You’ll be actively triggering the neurotransmitter systems that work to make you happier.”

SleepHappyMassageEndorphinsOxytocin
Book:The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time
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