Dopamine News and Research

Latest Dopamine News and Research

Digital magnetofluidics holds hope for better medicine

Critical advances in medicine and environmental protection promise to emerge from a new method for biochemical analysis of fluids developed by an international science team led in part by Arizona State University researchers.

21 Jul 2006

Human hair follicles found to be a new source of adult stem cells

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have isolated a new source of adult stem cells that appear to have the potential to differentiate into several cell types.

12 Jul 2006

Dopamine drug leads to new neurons and recovery of function in Parkinson's

In preliminary results, researchers have shown that a drug which mimics the effects of the nerve-signaling chemical dopamine causes new neurons to develop in the part of the brain where cells are lost in Parkinson's disease (PD).

5 Jul 2006

New anti-smoking drug Varenicline (Chantix) promotes longer-lasting abstinence

Scientists have found that a new anti-smoking drug may be more effective than drugs currently in use to help smokers kick the habit and it has the added advantage of promoting longer-lasting abstinence.

5 Jul 2006

Varenicline effective in helping smokers quit

The drug varenicline shows effectiveness in helping smokers quit and abstain from smoking when compared to placebo and the smoking cessation medication bupropion.

4 Jul 2006

Dopamine drug may lead to new ways of treating Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases

Researchers have shown that a drug which mimics the effects of the nerve-signaling chemical dopamine causes new neurons to develop in the part of the brain where cells are lost in Parkinson's disease

4 Jul 2006

Link established between Parkinson's and pesticides

Researchers in the U.S. say they have found evidence that exposure to pesticides may be linked to the development of Parkinson's disease (PD).

27 Jun 2006

Study shows how ADHD drugs Adderall, Ritalin and Dexedrine work in brain

Although millions depend on medications such as Ritalin to quell symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), scientists have struggled to pinpoint how the drugs work in the brain.

27 Jun 2006

Hierarchical control of dopamine neuron-firing patterns by nicotinic receptors

Understanding what makes people crave the high of nicotine is a key to developing treatment for this highly addictive drug.

14 Jun 2006

Brain chemistry finding suggests new target for addiction treatments

Ask anyone who has been addicted to drugs and they'll tell you that the mere sight of someone using their drug of choice - or even people, places, or objects associated with drug use - can trigger an intense desire for the drug.

14 Jun 2006

Midbrain, striatal and amygdalar dopaminergic dysfunction in ADHD

The brain's dopamine system, which has long been associated with reward learning and reward-related behavior, works differently in treated and untreated attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) individuals.

7 Jun 2006

How sexy we feel depends on our genes

According to researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, how sexy we feel depends on our genes.

31 May 2006

Genetic variations impact sexual desire

New evidence that individual differences in human sexual desire can be attributed to genetic variations has been revealed by a research group headed by a professor of psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

29 May 2006

New drug for Parkinson's gets FDA approval

The Food and Health Administration in the U.S. has granted approval for a new drug to treat patients with Parkinson's disease.

21 May 2006

FDA approves Azilect for the treatment of Parkinson's

The Food and Drug Administration today approved Azilect (rasagiline), a new molecular entity, for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

17 May 2006

Varenicline could increase number who quit smoking

Smokers who try to quit using existing medications, such as nicotine patches or Zyban, are about twice as likely to succeed as those who don't use medication or are prescribed placebos during clinical trials.

3 May 2006

Prefrontal cortex in the brain damaged by both alcoholism and chronic smoking

Alcoholism is commonly associated with chronic smoking, and both alcohol and nicotine are believed to act on the same brain region. Research builds upon previous research that identified four potential alcohol-sensitive genes in the prefrontal cortex, finding that smoking also influences the expression of these genes.

26 Apr 2006

Study shows drugs work differently in the brains of men and women

A Johns Hopkins discovery could lead to tailored treatments for drug abuse and neurological diseases after providing what is believed to be the first evidence in people that amphetamines have a greater effect on men's brains than women's.

24 Apr 2006

New orthostatic hypotension treatment reduces symptoms without causing high blood pressure

A drug traditionally used to treat myasthenia gravis shows potential benefit for reducing symptoms of orthostatic hypotension without raising blood pressure when people lie down, according to results of a double-blind, controlled clinical trial.

19 Apr 2006

Researchers identify novel agent that protects neurons involved in Parkinson's disease from being destroyed by rotenone

Researchers at the University at Buffalo affiliated with the New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences have identified a novel agent that can protect neurons involved in Parkinson's disease from being destroyed by the pesticide rotenone.

18 Apr 2006