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In this week’s episode of MOHIVATE, Dr. Mohi Sarawgee explores dopamine - the neurotransmitter of anticipation, motivation, and the spark that pulls you toward what matters.

Dopamine is not the molecule of pleasure or fireworks, but the subtle chemistry of maybe - the signal that says, lean forward, try again, something meaningful might be here.

Dr. Mohi unpacks what dopamine really is, where it’s made, and how it shapes movement, momentum, curiosity, learning, procrastination, restlessness, and why modern life tugs so sharply at our attention.

From the midbrain pathways that steady your habits to the reward-prediction errors behind phones, novelty, and dating, this episode brings science into the moments you live every day - with warmth, humour, and a doctor’s clarity.

Discover what supports a healthy dopamine rhythm, and how to nurture motivation without burning out your nervous system.

References:

1. Schultz, W. (2016). Reward functions of the basal ganglia. Journal of Neural Transmission.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-016-1570-0

2. Salamone, J.D., & Correa, M. (2012). The Mysterious Motivational Functions of Mesolimbic Dopamine. Neuron.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2012.10.021

3. Björklund, A., & Dunnett, S. (2007). Dopamine neuron systems in the brain: an update. Trends in Neurosciences.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2007.03.006

4. Lisman, J., & Grace, A.A. (2010). The hippocampal-VTA loop: controlling the entry of information into long-term memory. Neuron.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2010.05.002

5. Glimcher, P.W. (2011). Understanding dopamine and reinforcement learning. Current Opinion in Neurobiology.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2011.02.012

6. Book reading : The Molecule of More” — Lieberman & Long

Just a gentle reminder: this episode is for information, education, and inspiration only. It’s not a substitute for your doctor’s advice. For any personal health concerns, always seek guidance from your doctor.

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In this episode of MOHIvate, Dr. Mohi Sarawgee explores what longevity really means in 2025 - beyond buzzwords, biohacking trends, and the pressure to optimise every corner of your life.

With a mix of science, history, and honest observation, she unpacks why humans have always chased longer life, how modern longevity culture took over Instagram and Silicon Valley, and what the evidence actually tells us about ageing today.
You’ll hear about the big voices shaping the field, the ethics we rarely discuss, the hopes, the hype and the parts that genuinely matter for a life well lived.

You’ll learn:

• what ageing actually is (in simple, human language)
• why the longevity world swings between real science and shiny marketing
• how to think about early screening, biomarkers, supplements, and “optimisation”
• why lifestyle remains the strongest longevity tool we have
• how inequality, not genes, still predicts ageing the most
• the habits that meaningfully shape healthspan (and feel doable in daily life)

This episode is a grounded, science-informed reminder that real longevity is about feeling well, functioning well, and living meaningfully in the years you already have.

If you’ve ever felt pressure to join the longevity race, questioned whether you’re “doing enough,” or wondered how to make sense of the promises, products, and protocols ; this conversation will help you feel clearer, calmer, and more empowered.

References:

1. Healthy lifestyle in older adults and mortality risk
Wang J., et al. The Lancet Healthy Longevity, 2023.
Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanhl/article/PIIS2666-7568(23)00140-X/fulltext

2. Joint associations of physical activity and sleep duration with cognitive ageing in older adults
Bloomberg M., et al. The Lancet Healthy Longevity, 2023.
Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanhl/article/PIIS2666-7568(23)00083-1/fulltext

3. Single-domain and multidomain lifestyle interventions for preventing cognitive decline
Mendes A.J., et al. The Lancet Healthy Longevity, 2025.
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/395928803_Single-domain_and_multidomain_lifestyle_interventions_for_the_prevention_of_cognitive_decline_in_older_adults_who_are_cognitively_unimpaired_a_systematic_review_and_network_meta-analysis

4. Books:

- Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity — Peter Attia, MD
- Why We Die: The New Science of Ageing and the Quest for Immortality — Venki Ramakrishnan
- Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams — Matthew Walker, PhD
- Lifespan: Why We Age — and Why We Don’t Have To — David Sinclair, PhD
- The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest — Dan Buettner
- The Telomere Effect: A Revolutionary Approach to Living Younger, Healthier, Longer

Just a gentle reminder: this episode is for information, education, and inspiration only. It’s not a substitute for your doctor’s advice. For any personal health concerns, always seek guidance from your doctor.

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In this episode of MOHIVATE, Dr. Mohi Sarawgee explores what gratitude actually does to the brain and body far beyond motivational quotes and “be positive” advice.

Drawing on neuroscience and heart-health research, she looks at how gratitude lights up the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, lowers inflammation, supports heart health, and acts like “emotional immunology” for a stressed nervous system. From UCLA reviews to Harvard gratitude studies, she unpacks the science in simple, human language.

Between winter fairy lights and Thanksgiving tables, Dr. Mohi also speaks to the quieter side of gratitude ; when the year hasn’t been easy, when there have been losses, diagnoses, or burnout. She shares a favourite patient story and offers a gentle 1–1–1 gratitude practice you can try in under a minute a day.

This one’s for anyone who’s felt hurt or worn down by life or people, and still wants to find small, real reasons to keep going – and to come home to themselves.

References:

1. UCLA Health – “Health benefits of gratitude”
Nice lay summary of research on gratitude, mood, heart health, sleep and inflammation (this is where the “15 minutes a day, 5 days a week for 6 weeks” style interventions are discussed).
https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/health-benefits-gratitude

2. Harvard Health Publishing – “Giving thanks can make you happier”
Classic evidence-based piece summarising gratitude journaling studies (10-week “gratitude list” vs “irritations” group, mood and doctor-visit differences, etc.).
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier

3. Fox GR et al. (2015) – “Neural correlates of gratitude” – Frontiers in Psychology
fMRI study showing that feeling gratitude activates the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4588123/

4. Diniz G et al. (2023) – “The effects of gratitude interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis” – Einstein (São Paulo)
64 randomised trials of gratitude interventions; shows benefits for mental health, anxiety, depression, positive affect and life satisfaction ;this supports the “around 70 studies / tens of thousands of people” report.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10393216/

5. Mills PJ et al. (2015) – “The role of gratitude in spiritual well-being in asymptomatic heart failure patients” – Spirituality in Clinical Practice
Observational work in heart-failure patients showing higher dispositional gratitude linked with better mood, sleep and inflammatory profile.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4566460/

6. Redwine L et al. (2016) – Gratitude journaling pilot in heart failure (8-week intervention)
Small RCT where adding a gratitude journal improved heart-rate variability and some inflammatory markers (CRP, IL-6) and sleep quality.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022399916302117

Just a gentle reminder: this episode is for information, education, and inspiration only. It’s not a substitute for your doctor’s advice. For any personal health concerns, always seek guidance from your doctor.