On Dopamine’s Hook

Why does TikTok work just like a slot machine? Why do we keep craving “one more episode,” “one more cigarette,” or “just one more bite”? The answer lies in dopamine — the brain’s key neurotransmitter of anticipation and motivation.

Next Thursday, our space will host a meeting where we’ll explore how dopamine turns habits into addictions, how corporations “hack” this system — and what we can do to avoid getting hooked.

The meeting will be led by Nikita Vizzhachiy — physician at A Clinic Tbilisi, lecturer of medical courses for doctors and students at the educational project Synapse, former organizer of the Summer School’s Medical Department. He has successfully passed two stages of the USMLE — the licensing exam for doctors in the U.S. — and runs his own YouTube channel.