TY - BOOK AU - Previc,Fred H. TI - The dopaminergic mind in human evolution and history SN - 9780511581366 (ebook) AV - QP364.7 .P74 2009 U1 - 612.8/2 22 PY - 2009/// CY - Cambridge PB - Cambridge University Press KW - Dopaminergic mechanisms KW - Brain KW - Evolution KW - Human evolution KW - Neuropsychology N1 - Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015); What makes humans special? -- Dopamine in the brain -- Dopamine and behavior -- Dopamine and mental health -- Evolution of the dopaminergic mind -- The dopaminergic mind in history -- Relinquishing the dopaminergic imperative N2 - What does it mean to be human? There are many theories of the evolution of human behavior which seek to explain how our brains evolved to support our unique abilities and personalities. Most of these have focused on the role of brain size or specific genetic adaptations of the brain. In contrast, in this text, Fred Previc presents a provocative theory that high levels of dopamine, the most widely studied neurotransmitter, account for all major aspects of modern human behavior. He further emphasizes the role of epigenetic rather than genetic factors in the rise of dopamine. Previc contrasts the great achievements of the dopaminergic mind with the harmful effects of rising dopamine levels in modern societies and concludes with a critical examination of whether the dopaminergic mind that has evolved in humans is still adaptive to the health of humans and to the planet in general UR - https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511581366 ER -