The Brain and Expectation: How Dopamine Shapes Our Learning Patterns

Have you ever felt excited when noticing signs that something good is about to happen? Like the aroma of coffee in the morning signaling a fresh start, or a phone notification that might bring good news. It turns out that our brain has a special system to recognize and respond to these cues, and recent research has revealed that dopamine’s role in this process is more complex than we thought!

A study by Yan et al. (2025) found that dopamine—a chemical responsible for pleasure and motivation in the brain—can be directly detected in the primate striatum as they learn the association between a cue and an upcoming reward. Using advanced fluorescence imaging techniques, scientists successfully observed how dopamine is released in different brain regions when monkeys performed a Pavlovian conditioning task. The results showed that dopamine not only signals pleasure but also helps the brain assess the value of a cue and predict the expected outcome!

If we reflect on this, it is similar to how God guides us in life. Many times, we encounter situations where we need to recognize God’s signs—subtle hints that direct us toward a better path. As we learn to trust Him, we also build a "spiritual learning pattern," where our faith grows with every experience that strengthens our hope in God's promises.

Reflection for us

We often rely on past experiences to understand what will happen in the future. But are we also sensitive to the "divine cues" in our lives? Can we recognize how God guides us through our daily experiences and lessons?

The Bible says (Hebrews 11:1):

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

If you are feeling uncertain about the future today, remember that God always provides signs to guide your steps. The more we attune ourselves to His will, the more we can walk with confidence—just as our brain learns to associate cues with the hope of what is to come!

Reference

G. Yan, H. Amita, S. Nonomura, K. Inoue, W. Schultz, & M. Takada, Fluorescence detection of dopamine signaling to the primate striatum in relation to stimulus–reward associations, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 122 (11) e2426861122, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2426861122 (2025).