S2E11: The Neuroscience of Pleasure, Desire, and Addiction with Professor Kent Berridge

Professor Kent Berridge, a leading neuroscientist and the James Olds Distinguished University Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, has revolutionized our understanding of pleasure, desire, and motivation.In this captivating episode, we discuss the difference between “liking” and “wanting,” why dopamine drives desire rather than pleasure, and how specific “hedonic hotspots” in the brain generate pleasurable experiences. Professor Berridge also explains how these discoveries have reshaped our understanding of addiction, craving, and reward. We explore the surprising links between desire and fear, how motivation is created in the brain, and what these findings reveal about human behavior.