Dopamine News and Research

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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.

Parkinson's linked to higher levels of pheomelanin in brain: Could it be a biomarker or treatment target?

Researchers discover that the substantia nigra of individuals with Parkinson’s disease had a higher concentration of pheomelanin.

6 Apr 2023

Music therapy proves effective in treating depression for ADHD in children and adolescents

How music therapy can improve the treatment of depression in children with Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

30 Mar 2023

Maternal weight gain in pregnancy linked to children's risk of neurodevelopmental disorders

In a recent study published in the BMC Medicine journal, researchers in Sweden explored the association between above-optimal maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) and the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in offspring.

29 Mar 2023

Nuclear medicine brain imaging can help evaluate the biological changes that cause chemo-brain

A newly published literature review sheds light on how nuclear medicine brain imaging can help evaluate the biological changes that cause chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), commonly known as chemo-brain.

28 Mar 2023

Intermittent fasting shows potential benefits for obesity treatment and brain-gut-microbiome health

A recent Nutrients journal study by researchers at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, has discussed the effects of time-restricted eating on BGM and reviewed its promising effects in obesity treatment.

26 Mar 2023

Personalized recipe of hopamine can empower patients with Parkinson's disease

When Marina Noordegraaf was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at age 49, she noticed when it came to treatment decisions, she sometimes felt powerless.

23 Mar 2023

Common genetic signature may increase a person's risk of developing substance use disorders

A new study suggests that a common genetic signature may increase a person's risk of developing substance use disorders, regardless of whether the addiction is to alcohol, tobacco, cannabis or opioids.

22 Mar 2023

Study finds shared genetic risk variants across different substance use disorders

By combing through genomic data of over 1 million people, scientists have identified genes commonly inherited across addiction disorders, regardless of the substance being used.

22 Mar 2023

Investigating how gut microbiota affect neuroplasticity and neurodevelopment

In a recent study published in the journal Neuropharmacology, researchers in Pisa, Italy, explored how gut microbiota can influence neuroplasticity.

20 Mar 2023

What role does dysbiosis play in Parkinson's disease?

The current study, published in the journal Revue Neurologique, is based on the hypothesis that dysbiosis, or unhealthy variations in the gut and oral microbiota, is a key component of PD pathogenesis.

19 Mar 2023

Researchers find new way to remove waste after brain hemorrhage

University of Helsinki and Taiwanese researchers have found a new way to remove waste from the brain after hemorrhage.

17 Mar 2023

How the science of happiness is helping student mental health

We spoke to Professor Bruce Hood, Professor of Developmental Psychology and Society at the University of Bristol, about his course The Science of Happiness and beyond.

17 Mar 2023

Chemists reveal a whole new role for molecular mirroring

With the aid of some sea slugs, University of Nebraska–Lincoln chemists have discovered that one of the smallest conceivable tweaks to a biomolecule can elicit one of the grandest conceivable consequences: directing the activation of neurons.

15 Mar 2023

Point-of-care test identifies patients who may benefit from hypnosis interventions for pain treatment

Hypnosis is an effective treatment for pain for many individuals but determining which patients will benefit most can be challenging. Hypnotizability testing requires special training and in-person evaluation rarely available in the clinical setting.

15 Mar 2023

Common dry cleaning chemical may be an invisible cause of Parkinson's

A common and widely used chemical may be fueling the rise of the world's fastest-growing brain condition – Parkinson's disease.

14 Mar 2023

Hyperinflammation triggers long COVID headaches

Researchers characterize the immunological and metabolic alterations involved in chronic headache onset during post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.

13 Mar 2023

Study finds two substances capable of inhibiting proliferation of glioblastoma cells

Glioblastoma is a malignant tumor of the central nervous system (brain or spinal cord) and one of the deadliest types of cancer.

7 Mar 2023

Aggression neurons activate while watching fights

A recent study discusses the processes and changes in the brain that arise while fighting and watching intense fights.

6 Mar 2023

Researchers synthesize fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymeric nanoparticles to detect neurotransmitters

The animal brain consists of tens of billions of neurons or nerve cells that perform complex tasks like processing emotions, learning, and making judgments by communicating with each other via neurotransmitters.

3 Mar 2023

Exploring the neuroprotective potential of cell-penetrating peptides, extracellular vesicles, and micro ribonucleic acids

In a recent review published in Biomedicines, researchers explored extracellular vesicles (EVs), cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), and micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) as therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD).

1 Mar 2023