{
  "id": 617867,
  "title": "A new dual-process theory solves the mystery of dopamine ramps",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/a-new-dual-process-theory-solves-the-mystery-of-dopamine-ramps",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-12T00:00:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "PsyPost",
    "slug": "psypost",
    "url": "https://www.psypost.org/a-new-dual-process-theory-solves-the-mystery-of-dopamine-ramps/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "A new computational model explains why dopamine levels gradually rise as animals approach a reward. By combining fast mental maps with slow habit formation, the dual-process theory resolves a long-standing puzzle about how the brain updates its expectations.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}