After they took the pills, the volunteers were given the opportunity to gamble. The researchers found that the participants who took the dopamine-boosting pill placed larger and riskier bets than those who took the placebo. The effect was more pronounced in men than in women. The researchers periodically asked the participants to rate how happy they were. There was no difference between the two groups. The enhanced dopamine circuit boosted impulsive behavior, but not satisfaction—it boosted the wanting, but not the liking.
