Robert Sapolsky, professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University, compares dopamine levels in monkeys and humans.
Sapolsky argues that in both, “Dopamine is not about pleasure, it’s about the anticipation of pleasure.” The difference from monkeys is that humans “keep dopamine levels up for decades waiting for the reward.”
Jill Bolte Taylor has become a spokesperson for stroke recovery and for the possibility of coming back from brain injury stronger than before. In her case, although the stroke damaged the left side of her brain, her recovery unleashed a torrent of creative energy from her right. (2008) (18 min.)