Dopamine takes a hit: how neuroscience is rethinking the ‘feel-good’ chemical Nature, Published online: 17 March 2026; [doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00836-x][1] It has long been known as the arbiter of reward in the brain, but recent findings could upend this classic theory of dopamine function. [1]: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00836-x https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00836-x