Dopamine News and Research

Latest Dopamine News and Research

Sheffield academic receives funding to protect brain cells affected by Parkinson's

A Sheffield academic has been awarded £100,000 of funding by the Virtual Biotech Programme - the drug development arm of charity Parkinson's UK - to develop a new treatment that could protect brain cells affected by Parkinson's disease, potentially slowing, or stopping its progression for the first time.

6 Aug 2019

Researchers investigate impact of low-salt diets and ketogenic diet

Researchers have developed a novel test that identifies individuals who are the most likely to experience negative health effects if they eat a high salt diet.

5 Aug 2019

Astrocytic MORs in the hippocampus responsible for conditioned place preference

If somebody asks me "are you a coffee addict?" I may say, "Yeah it seems like, but on the one condition, only in my office." I don't have that much craving for coffee at home, but just being in the office, where I used to drink coffee all the time seeking to get caffeine jitters, seems to trigger my caffeine-addicted brain.

31 Jul 2019

Blocking dopamine reduces drug seeking and taking behavior

Blocking dopamine receptors in different regions of the amygdala reduces drug seeking and taking behavior with varying longevity, according to research in rats published in eNeuro.

From Society for Neuroscience 30 Jul 2019

Resveratrol shows promise for anxiety and depression

A new study has shown that the compound resveratrol found in red wine demonstrates stress relieving effects in anxiety and depression. This could be due to resveratrol’s ability to control an enzyme in the brain that is liked to stress say the researchers from the University at Buffalo in collaboration with Xuzhou Medical University in China.

29 Jul 2019

Molecule inhibits toxic protein accumulation in Parkinson's disease model

Parkinson's disease often begins with small tremors. Over time symptoms worsen. Tremors become shakes and stiffness takes the body hostage.

25 Jul 2019

Controlled stimulation of the ear canal can help reduce Parkinson's symptoms

A new study has shown that gentle, controlled stimulation of the ear canal can help reduce symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

24 Jul 2019

Brain protein mutation from an autistic person alters behavior in mice

A de novo gene mutation that encodes a brain protein in a child with autism has been placed into the brains of mice.

24 Jul 2019

Gene mutation in the brain of autism patients alters behaviors in mice

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a wide range of possible causes, including genetics and environmental factors. Now, a new study suggests that a brain protein mutation may shed light on the mechanism of neurological and developmental illness.

23 Jul 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

UTHealth researchers investigate how to reduce stress-driven alcohol use

Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) are investigating if a medication used to regulate blood sugar can alter motivation to use alcohol by targeting the brain's stress response system.

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

Drinking Matcha tea may reduce anxious behavior, research shows

Many different countries have a tea culture, and Japanese Matcha tea is growing in popularity around the world. In Japan, Matcha has a long history of being used for various medicinal purposes. It has been suspected to have various beneficial effects to health, but relatively little scientific evidence supported that claim.

9 Jul 2019