Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Dr. Read Montague, PhD, is a professor and director of the Center for Human Neuroscience Research at Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and an expert in how dopamine and serotonin shape human learning, motivation and decision-making. We discuss how they impact focused effort in the context of short- and long-term goals of all kinds. Also, how SSRIs and low-effort, high-engagement activities reduce the rewarding properties of dopamine, and how AI algorithms are revolutionizing understanding of the brain.
Full show notes and resources: go.hubermanlab.com/CgI5pMA
*Thank you to our sponsors*
AG1: drinkag1.com/huberman
David: davidprotein.com/huberman
Joovv: joovv.com/huberman
Function: functionhealth.com/huberman
LMNT: drinklmnt.com/huberman
*Timestamps*
00:00:00 Read Montague
00:02:54 Dopamine, Motivation & Learning
00:08:49 Reward Prediction Error, Expectations
00:12:24 Sponsors: David & Joovv
00:14:54 Foraging, Dating, Expectations vs Outcomes; AI
00:23:36 Dopamine, Expectation, Motivation; Forward Drive; Dopamine “Hits”
00:29:58 Baseline Dopamine & Fluctuations; Parkinson’s Disease
00:34:36 Movement, Urgency; ADHD, Bee’s Dance, Explorer vs Focus Mode
00:42:29 Sponsor: AG1
00:43:40 Social Media, ADHD; Explorers vs Task-Based, Combat
00:50:54 Effort, Learning; Social Media & Phones, Resisting Behaviors
01:01:36 Serotonin & Dopamine, Opponency, SSRIs
01:11:21 Hunger, Dopamine; Negative Feedback, Learning, Trauma; Torture
01:18:34 Drugs of Abuse & High Dopamine
01:19:48 Sponsor: Function
01:21:35 Trauma & Dopamine Adaptation
01:27:34 SSRIs, Dopamine, Positive Experiences
01:29:50 Deep Brain Stimulation; Measuring Dopamine & Serotonin in Humans
01:36:16 Sleep; Divorce; Science is a Contact Sport
01:45:14 Long-Term Motivation, Learning How to Fail, Tool: Kids & Sports
01:54:14 Sponsor: LMNT
01:55:34 Meditation, Breathing, Learning; Dopamine as a Currency
02:04:38 Function of Sleep, Motivation; Time Perception & Dopamine, Tracking Time
02:13:18 LLMs, AI, Uses & Problem Solving
02:18:33 Future Projects, Commercial Brain-Machine Interfaces; Concentration
02:25:57 Dopamine “Hits”?; Depression & Schizophrenia; Quitting
02:30:17 Dopamine & Serotonin Misunderstandings; Internal Satisfaction; Motivation
02:35:58 Serotonin Syndrome; Acknowledgements
02:38:31 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter
#HubermanLab #Science #Dopamine #Serotonin #Learning
Disclaimer & Disclosures: hubermanlab.com/disclaimer
Dr. Read Montague, PhD, is a professor and director of the Center for Human Neuroscience Research at Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and an expert in how dopamine and serotonin shape human learning, motivation and decision-making. We discuss how they impact focused effort in the context of short- and long-term goals of all kinds. Also, how SSRIs and low-effort, high-engagement activities reduce the rewarding properties of dopamine, and how AI algorithms are revolutionizing understanding of the brain.
Full show notes and resources: go.hubermanlab.com/CgI5pMA
*Thank you to our sponsors*
AG1: drinkag1.com/huberman
David: davidprotein.com/huberman
Joovv: joovv.com/huberman
Function: functionhealth.com/huberman
LMNT: drinklmnt.com/huberman
*Timestamps*
00:00:00 Read Montague
00:02:54 Dopamine, Motivation & Learning
00:08:49 Reward Prediction Error, Expectations
00:12:24 Sponsors: David & Joovv
00:14:54 Foraging, Dating, Expectations vs Outcomes; AI
00:23:36 Dopamine, Expectation, Motivation; Forward Drive; Dopamine “Hits”
00:29:58 Baseline Dopamine & Fluctuations; Parkinson’s Disease
00:34:36 Movement, Urgency; ADHD, Bee’s Dance, Explorer vs Focus Mode
00:42:29 Sponsor: AG1
00:43:40 Social Media, ADHD; Explorers vs Task-Based, Combat
00:50:54 Effort, Learning; Social Media & Phones, Resisting Behaviors
01:01:36 Serotonin & Dopamine, Opponency, SSRIs
01:11:21 Hunger, Dopamine; Negative Feedback, Learning, Trauma; Torture
01:18:34 Drugs of Abuse & High Dopamine
01:19:48 Sponsor: Function
01:21:35 Trauma & Dopamine Adaptation
01:27:34 SSRIs, Dopamine, Positive Experiences
01:29:50 Deep Brain Stimulation; Measuring Dopamine & Serotonin in Humans
01:36:16 Sleep; Divorce; Science is a Contact Sport
01:45:14 Long-Term Motivation, Learning How to Fail, Tool: Kids & Sports
01:54:14 Sponsor: LMNT
01:55:34 Meditation, Breathing, Learning; Dopamine as a Currency
02:04:38 Function of Sleep, Motivation; Time Perception & Dopamine, Tracking Time
02:13:18 LLMs, AI, Uses & Problem Solving
02:18:33 Future Projects, Commercial Brain-Machine Interfaces; Concentration
02:25:57 Dopamine “Hits”?; Depression & Schizophrenia; Quitting
02:30:17 Dopamine & Serotonin Misunderstandings; Internal Satisfaction; Motivation
02:35:58 Serotonin Syndrome; Acknowledgements
02:38:31 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter
#HubermanLab #Science #Dopamine #Serotonin #Learning
Disclaimer & Disclosures: hubermanlab.com/disclaimer
