Dopamine News and Research

Latest Dopamine News and Research

Stem cell therapy shows promise for treating advanced Parkinson's disease

A stem cell–based therapy initially developed at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) may lead to a new treatment for advanced Parkinson's disease, according to results from a phase 1 clinical trial reported in Nature.

16 Apr 2025

Can gut microbes help prevent Alzheimer’s?

A comprehensive review explores how gut microbiota diversity and fitness influence Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk through neuroinflammation, amyloid and tau pathology, and blood-brain barrier dysfunction. It highlights the therapeutic potential of probiotics, dietary interventions, and omics technologies in restoring microbial balance and preventing neurodegeneration.

13 Apr 2025

Apathy and lack of motivation are symptoms of cancer cachexia, research suggests

Cancer ravages both body and mind. If you've ever lost loved ones to the disease, you might recognize the physical and emotional changes cancer patients often endure during their final months.

10 Apr 2025

Researchers explore drug repurposing strategy for Parkinson's disease

Despite significant advances in Parkinson's disease (PD) treatment, it remains incurable, with limited therapeutic options.

10 Apr 2025

Study reveals brain circuit behind apathy in advanced cancer

The fatigue and lack of motivation that many cancer patients experience near the end of life have been seen as the unavoidable consequences of their declining physical health and extreme weight loss.

10 Apr 2025

Can psychedelics break compulsive eating habits in obesity?

A review by Oxford researchers explores how psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD may help disrupt compulsive eating behaviors in subsets of obese individuals. The paper outlines proposed neurobiological, epigenetic, and gut-brain mechanisms while emphasizing the need for human trials.

10 Apr 2025

Cannabis users have elevated dopamine levels associated with psychosis

A McGill University-led study found that people with cannabis use disorder (CUD) had elevated dopamine levels in a brain region associated with psychosis.

9 Apr 2025

Study uncovers conserved development and evolutionary innovations in the human hypothalamus

In a new study published in Developmental Cell on April 8, a research team led by Prof. WU Qingfeng at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has demonstrated the conserved cellular development and evolutionary innovations in the developing human hypothalamus.

9 Apr 2025

Study reveals high rate of diagnostic changes in Parkinson’s disease

A new study by the University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland, found that a significant proportion of Parkinson's disease diagnoses are later corrected.

7 Apr 2025

New studies reveal how cytokines affect mood and behavior

Physicians have long observed a mystifying phenomenon: After a bout of infection or an autoimmune disease flare-up, some people experience prolonged mood swings, emotional dysregulation, and changes in behavior.

7 Apr 2025

Hedonic eating fades with obesity—but neurotensin helps bring it back

Chronic high-fat diets blunt the brain’s pleasure response to rich foods by impairing NAcLat→VTA signaling in mice. Neurotensin dysfunction underlies this effect, but restoring its signaling revives hedonic feeding and reduces obesity symptoms.

30 Mar 2025

Scientists confirm neurobiochemical link between dopamine and cognitive flexibility

For the first time, scientists have confirmed a neurobiochemical link between dopamine and cognitive flexibility, according to new research published in the March issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

28 Mar 2025

Dopamine neurons play a central role in sustaining hedonic eating

A previously overlooked dopamine-producing brain circuit drives hedonic eating, or eating for pleasure, according to a new study in mice.

27 Mar 2025

Discovery provides crucial molecular targets for future obesity treatments

The pleasure we get from eating junk food - the dopamine rush from crunching down on salty, greasy French fries and a luscious burger - is often blamed as the cause of overeating and rising obesity rates in our society.

26 Mar 2025

Researchers uncover protective role of dopamine in regulating tau function

The research group led by Prof. Wang Chu from the College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering at Peking University published a research article entitled "Quantitative Chemoproteomics Reveals Dopamine's Protective Modification of Tau" in Nature Chemical Biology (DOI:10.1038/s41589-025-01849-9).

21 Mar 2025