Imagine you're eating a taco with chili peppers, it feels like fire in your mouth, but you still want to eat more. This happens because the spicy stuff, called capsaicin, tricks your brain into thinking it's hot. When your brain thinks it's hot, it sends a signal that makes you feel pain. But after a while, your body starts to get used to the heat and even likes it, kind of like when you ride a bike for fun instead of being scared of falling.
Examples
- Eating a jalapeño like it’s candy
- Drinking hot chocolate after eating chili
- Going from mild salsa to extra spicy salsa in one bite
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See also
- What is Reward pathway?
- What are dopamine pathways in the brain?
- What are nucleus accumbens?
- What are dopamine release patterns?
- What is Ventral tegmental area (VTA)?