Dopaminergic News and Research

RSS

Dopamine may worsen lung inflammation in asthma

A new study on a mouse model of asthma shows that nerve cells producing dopamine, a neurotransmitter, signal T cells in the body to promote inflammation due to allergic reactions in the lungs during childhood but not in adult mice.

19 Nov 2019

Chronic psychosocial adversity impairs dopamine production

People exposed to a lifetime of psychosocial adversity may have an impaired ability to produce the dopamine levels needed for coping with acutely stressful situations.

12 Nov 2019

Scientists identify new mechanism for the development of Parkinson's disease

An international research team including scientists from the University of Cologne have identified a new mechanism for the development of Parkinson's disease, which could prove to be the starting point for the development of a more targeted therapy.

12 Nov 2019

Does Parkinson's disease start in the brain or gut?

Does Parkinson's disease start in the brain or the gut? In a new contribution published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, scientists hypothesize that PD can be divided into two subtypes: gut-first, originating in the peripheral nervous system of the gut and spreading to the brain; and brain-first, originating in the brain, or entering the brain via the olfactory system, and spreading to the brainstem and peripheral nervous system.

7 Nov 2019

Scientists use patient-derived neurons to develop new treatment strategy for Parkinson's disease

Northwestern Medicine scientists have used patient-derived neurons to develop and test a new strategy to treat Parkinson's disease by mitigating the effects of harmful genetic mutations, as detailed in a study published today (Oct. 16) in Science Translational Medicine.

16 Oct 2019

Drug may improve the safety of cannabis use in early pregnancy

Cannabis use during pregnancy may increase the risk of psychosis in children. Scientists have now found a drug that can reduce the effects of THC on the fetus.

16 Oct 2019

Researchers identify genetic variants related to starting point of Parkinson's disease

Researchers from the Institute of Neurosciences of the University of Barcelona, Hospital Clínic and the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute have identified a group of genetic variants related to the starting point of Parkinson's disease.

27 Sep 2019

Parkinson’s patients benefit from “gamified” home exercise

Exercise is always difficult to sustain for more than a short period, in most cases. This is all the more true if you’re already sick or in pain, or find movements difficult, as with Parkinson’s disease.

13 Sep 2019

Genetic engineering could open possibilities for patients with Parkinson’s disease

People with Parkinson’s disease experience loss of dopamine-producing brain cells, leading to tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability, the primary symptoms of the disease.

11 Sep 2019

Brain-computer interface: huge potential benefits and formidable challenges

A new Royal Society report called “iHuman: blurring lines between mind and machine” is for the first time systematically exploring whether it is “right” or not to use neural interfaces – machines implanted in or worn over the body to pick up or stimulate nervous activity in the brain or other parts of the nervous system.

11 Sep 2019

Scientists find a link between brain’s emotion circuit and movement

The brain is a powerful organ that controls all the body processes, including movement. In some athletes, however, they usually experience a phenomenon called “choking,” wherein their performance rapidly declines when they’re under a lot of pressure.

11 Sep 2019

Simple urine analysis can be used to quickly identify brain trauma and expedite treatment

A traumatic brain injury is often easily suspected and can be confirmed and treated if necessary following an injury using a blood analysis, but scientists are reporting that even one mild blast to the brain can cause very subtle but permanent damage as well.

5 Sep 2019

Wild birds help shed light on stress resilience in humans

Stress is a common everyday experience, particularly in the world today. A new study might open the doors for the prevention and treatment of stress disorders, thanks to wild songbirds.

21 Jul 2019

Gut infection can lead to a pathology resembling Parkinson's disease

A new study by Montreal scientists published today in Nature demonstrates that a gut infection can lead to a pathology resembling Parkinson's disease in a mouse model lacking a gene linked to the human disease.

17 Jul 2019

Antioxidant precursor molecule could improve dopamine levels in Parkinson's patients

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a naturally occurring molecule that replenishes one of the body's antioxidants and now shows potential benefit as part of a standard course of treatment for patients with Parkinson's disease, according to a study published in the journal, Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics.

16 Jul 2019

Genetic contribution to distractibility helps explain procrastination

Wouldn’t it be nice to blame your genes for your procrastination? Now, using a combination of questionnaires and genetic testing, German researchers have found that with increasing dopamine in the brain, women tended to show greater tendencies to procrastinate.

14 Jul 2019