Dopamine

Definition of Dopamine:

A neurohormone; precursor to norepinephrine which acts as a stimulant to the nervous system.  Carries signals between neurons and controls feelings of satisfaction, arousal, reward and mood.

Topics Related to Dopamine

Addictions / Addictive Tendencies

...the condition
“...Most researchers believe that addictions are centered around the effect that addictive drugs have on dopamine levels in the brain...”

Adrenal Medulla

...related topic
“The inner part of the adrenals, derived embryonically from spinal nerve precursors, they secrete epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine; used locally as neurotransmitters, sensitive receptors can be mobilized totally by the adrenal medullas.”
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More topics Related to Dopamine

Bruxism (Clenching/Grinding Teeth)

...the condition
“...The following factors are associated with bruxism ... Hypersensitivity of the dopamine receptors in the brain...”

Catecholamine

...related topic
“Any of various amines (as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine) that function as hormones and/or neurotransmitters.”

Cocaine Addiction

...our question about Severity of chest pain
“Cocaine induces a feeling of well-being by raising dopamine levels in the brain, but also increases blood pressure and causes blood vessels to contract...”
...relationship to Parkinson's Disease
“Some researchers believe that cocaine could spark the early onset of Parkinson's disease by causing the body to exhaust its supply of dopamine prematurely.”

Coffee

...as a treatment
“...Coffee is addictive: coffee raises dopamine levels, and anything that increases dopamine levels runs a high risk of being addictive...”

Copper

...related topic
“...The best studied are superoxide dismutase (SOD), cytochrome C oxidase, catalase, dopamine hydroxylase, uricase, tryptophan dioxygenase, lecithinase and other monoamine and diamine oxidases.”

Depression

...relationship to Vitamin B6 Requirement
“B6 is a cofactor for the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin and for the synthesis of dopamine and norepinephrine...”
...recommendation L-Tyrosine
“Particular precursors such as tyrosine, which increases dopamine and noradrenaline, show beneficial results in the treatment of mild depression.”
...recommendation Amino Acid Profile
“...Low tyrosine or phenylalanine levels can result in abnormal levels of mood-regulating chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine and catecholamines...”

Elevated Homocysteine Levels

...relationship to Depression
“...The methyl group provided by normal homocysteine metabolism is necessary for the production of depression-relieving neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine.  The B-vitamins are also crucial in the direct synthesis of the brain neurotransmitters...”

Heartburn / GERD / Acid Reflux

...the condition
“...Drugs That Increase the Risk for GERD A number of drugs can cause the LES to relax and function poorly including calcium channel blockers, anti-cholinergics, beta- and alpha-adrenergic agonists, dopamine, sedatives, and common pain relievers...”

Hyperprolactinemia

...the condition
“...For prolactin, however, the signal works in reverse: An increase in the hypothalamic hormone dopamine tells the pituitary to stop releasing prolactin...”

Insomnia

...recommendation GHB (Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate)
“...Some have called this pattern the "dawn effect" and have speculated that it is related to the release of stored dopamine.  Some people minimize this effect by taking minimal doses of GHB...”

Low HGH (Human Growth Hormone)

...recommendation GHB (Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate)
“...Dopamine activity in the hypothalamus is known to stimulate pituitary release of growth hormone, but GHB inhibits dopamine release at the same time that it stimulates GH release...”

L-Tyrosine

...as a treatment
“...Tyrosine is a precursor to dopamine, noradrenaline, and adrenalin (epinephrine)...”

Monoamine Oxidase

...related topic
“...Type A (MAO-A) deactivates epinephrine, norepinephrine, and serotonin; MAO-B metabolizes dopamine and phenylethylamine...”
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More topics Related to Dopamine

NADH

...as a treatment
“...Reports that NADH may stimulate endogenous dopamine biosynthesis have led to its experimental use in Parkinson's disease...”

Parkinson's Disease

...the condition
“...The loss of dopamine production affects the balance between dopamine and acetylcholine in the brain with the result that messages to the muscles become garbled...”
...related topic
“...It is characterized pathologically by loss of dopamine in the substantia nigra.”
...our question about Ecstasy use
“Some researchers believe that ecstasy use could lead to early onset of Parkinson's disease by causing the body to exhaust its supply of dopamine prematurely.”
...recommendation Conventional Drug Use
“Since the 1960s, L-dopa (a critical ingredient used by the brain to produce the chemical dopamine) has been one of the main therapies used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease...”

Phenylalanine

...related topic
“...Precursor to tyrosine which is used to manufacture certain hormones (epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopa, dopamine) which are important for the transmission of nerve impulses...”

Poor Sense of Humor

...the condition
“...showed that, in addition to activating areas of the brain involved in language processing, humor also stimulated regions of the brain known as reward centers, such as the amygdala, which releases dopamine.  Dopamine is a powerful chemical that plays a vital role in the brain's pleasure and reward system.”

Premenstrual Syndrome PMS A (Anxiety)

...the condition
“...to affect mood by suppressing MAO-A while enhancing MAO-B, resulting in increased levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine and serotonin (all normally deactivated by MAO-A) and decreased levels of dopamine and phenylethylamine (both normally metabolized by MAO-B)...”

Premenstrual Syndrome PMS H (Headache)

...the condition
“...Aldosterone excess during the luteal phase of PMS-H patients may arise due to any of the following factors ... Dopamine Deficiency – a relative dopamine deficiency has been demonstrated in PMS-H patients...”

Protein Deficiency

...the condition
“...The symptoms of protein deficiency can therefore take many different forms, including ... "Brain fog" (Neurotransmitters such as dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and serotonin are needed for mental focus, and are produced from amino acids – the building blocks of protein...”

Rhodiola rosea (Roseroot)

...as a treatment
“...Rhodiola rosea's effects are attributed to its ability to optimize serotonin and dopamine levels and to its influence on opioid peptides such as beta-endorphins...”

S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe)

...as a treatment
“...Serotonin, adrenalin, melatonin and dopamine are but a few of these substances that are produced because of SAMe and its effect on methylation...”

Schizophrenia

...the condition
“...Dopamine excess Dopamine is a substance involved with emotional and hormonal response and the integration of experience, emotion, and thought...”
...related topic
“...Schizophrenia is associated with dopamine imbalances in the brain and defects of the frontal lobe and is caused by genetic, other biological, and psychosocial factors.”

Selegiline

...as a treatment
“...Selegiline blocks the enzyme monoamine oxidase type B, which forms one of the metabolic pathways for dopamine in the brain...”

St John's Wort

...as a treatment
“...When researchers measured urinary metabolites of noradrenaline and dopamine following administration of St. John's Wort, they found significant increases in 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (a marker commonly used to measure the effectiveness of antidepressive drugs)...”

Vinpocetine

...as a treatment
“...Vinpocetine also improves oxygen and glucose utilization in the brain, and is credited with increasing levels of the hormones noradrenaline and dopamine.  As a result, there is an increase in serotonin and acetylcholine concentration, which are neuromodulators found in virtually all autonomic ganglia (the clusters of brain cells that serve as...”
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