Dopamine News and Research RSS Feed - Dopamine News and Research

Dopamine is a hormone and neurotransmitter occurring in a wide variety of animals, including both vertebrates and invertebrates. In the brain, this phenethylamine functions as a neurotransmitter, activating the five types of dopamine receptors — D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5, and their variants. Dopamine is produced in several areas of the brain, including the substantia nigra and the ventral tegmental area. Dopamine is also a neurohormone released by the hypothalamus. Its main function as a hormone is to inhibit the release of prolactin from the anterior lobe of the pituitary. Dopamine has many functions in the brain, including important roles in behavior and cognition, motor activity, motivation and reward, inhibition of prolactin production (involved in lactation), sleep, mood, attention, and learning. Dopaminergic neurons (i.e., neurons whose primary neurotransmitter is dopamine) are present chiefly in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the midbrain, substantia nigra pars compacta, and arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus.
First alcoholic drink during puberty increases risk of alcohol problems

First alcoholic drink during puberty increases risk of alcohol problems

Research shows that the earlier the age at which youth take their first alcoholic drink, the greater the risk of developing alcohol problems. Thus, age at first drink (AFD) is generally considered a powerful predictor of progression to alcohol-related harm. [More]

Neupro reduces PLMS and total NSBP elevations in patients with RLS, study finds

UCB today announced data from a double-blind, placebo-controlled study that found that Neupro (Rotigotine Transdermal System) reduced total nocturnal systolic blood pressure elevations associated with periodic limb movements during sleep and total PLMS in patients with idiopathic moderate-to-severe Restless Legs Syndrome/Willis-Ekbom disease. [More]
Researchers successfully test new anti-cocaine vaccine in primates

Researchers successfully test new anti-cocaine vaccine in primates

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have successfully tested their novel anti-cocaine vaccine in primates, bringing them closer to launching human clinical trials. [More]
Nicotine in peppers and tomatoes may provide protective effect against Parkinson's disease

Nicotine in peppers and tomatoes may provide protective effect against Parkinson's disease

New research reveals that Solanaceae-a flowering plant family with some species producing foods that are edible sources of nicotine-may provide a protective effect against Parkinson's disease. The study appearing today in Annals of Neurology, a journal of the American Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society, suggests that eating foods that contain even a small amount of nicotine, such as peppers and tomatoes, may reduce risk of developing Parkinson's. [More]
Brain scan studies may provide clues about how the device improves depression

Brain scan studies may provide clues about how the device improves depression

For nearly a decade, doctors have used an implanted electronic stimulator to treat severe depression in people who don't respond to standard antidepressant therapy. [More]
Restless legs syndrome and insomnia: a possible explanation

Restless legs syndrome and insomnia: a possible explanation

Johns Hopkins researchers believe they may have discovered an explanation for the sleepless nights associated with restless legs syndrome (RLS), a symptom that persists even when the disruptive, overwhelming nocturnal urge to move the legs is treated successfully with medication. [More]

Testosterone’s role in schizophrenia

Researchers from Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) have presented new results about the role of testosterone in schizophrenia at the International Congress on Schizophrenia Research being held in Orlando, Florida. [More]
Antihistamine drugs work by preventing histamine from attaching to H1 receptors

Antihistamine drugs work by preventing histamine from attaching to H1 receptors

Itchy eyes, scratchy throat, running nose--it's allergy season! What triggers these allergic reactions, and how do allergy medications work? [More]
DBS appears to reduce caloric intake and weight loss in obese animal models

DBS appears to reduce caloric intake and weight loss in obese animal models

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) in a precise region of the brain appears to reduce caloric intake and prompt weight loss in obese animal models, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. [More]
Research: DBS may provide therapeutic relief to binge eating

Research: DBS may provide therapeutic relief to binge eating

Deep brain stimulation in a precise region of the brain appears to reduce caloric intake and prompt weight loss in obese animal models, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. [More]
Biological Psychiatry special issue tackles the question on food addiction

Biological Psychiatry special issue tackles the question on food addiction

Biological Psychiatry is proud to announce this week's publication of a special issue focusing on the question of food as an addiction. [More]

Research findings could provide a way to treat onset, progression of Parkinson's disease

The earliest signs of Parkinson's disease can be deceptively mild. The first thing that movie star Michael J. Fox noticed was twitching of the little finger of his left hand. [More]
Ceregene announces top-line data from CERE-12 Phase 2b clinical study for Parkinson's disease

Ceregene announces top-line data from CERE-12 Phase 2b clinical study for Parkinson's disease

Ceregene, Inc. today announced the top-line data from its double-blind, randomized, controlled Phase 2b clinical study of CERE-120 (AAV-neurturin), a gene therapy product designed to deliver the neurotrophic factor neurturin, for Parkinson's disease. [More]

Civitas Therapeutics reports positive results from Phase 2 study of CVT-301 for Parkinson's disease

Civitas Therapeutics, Inc., a privately-held pharmaceutical company developing transformative therapeutics using the ARCUS respiratory delivery platform, today announced positive topline results from a Phase 2 clinical trial of CVT-301, an inhaled formulation of levodopa (L-dopa). [More]
High frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation of brain reduces cravings for nicotine

High frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation of brain reduces cravings for nicotine

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths globally. Unfortunately smoking cessation is difficult, with more than 90% of attempts to quit resulting in relapse [More]

Study shows taste of alcoholic drink can elicit dopamine activity in brain's reward centers

The taste of beer, without any effect from alcohol itself, can trigger dopamine release in the brain, which is associated with drinking and other drugs of abuse, according to Indiana University School of Medicine researchers. [More]

NeuroDerm enrolls patients for Phase IIa clinical trial of ND0612

NeuroDerm, Ltd. announced today that enrollment of patients is ongoing in its Phase IIa clinical trial of ND0612, a novel drug formulation for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. [More]

Researchers use miniature electronic device to tap into internal reward system of mice

Using a miniature electronic device implanted in the brain, scientists have tapped into the internal reward system of mice, prodding neurons to release dopamine, a chemical associated with pleasure. [More]

St. Jude Medical gets European CE Mark approval for deep brain stimulation systems

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced European CE Mark approval of its Brio, Libra and LibraXP deep brain stimulation systems for managing the symptoms of intractable primary and secondary dystonia, a neurological movement disorder that causes a person's muscles to contract and involuntarily spasm, reducing the ability to control movement. [More]
Researchers develop new imaging system for mouse brain studies

Researchers develop new imaging system for mouse brain studies

Setting a mouse free to roam might alarm most people, but not so for nuclear imaging researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Medical School and the University of Maryland who have developed a new imaging system for mouse brain studies. [More]