Dopamine News and Research

Latest Dopamine News and Research

Virginia Tech professor developing vaccine that could help smokers overcome nicotine addiction

A Virginia Tech professor is working on a vaccine that could help smokers conquer their nicotine addiction, making many smoking-related diseases and deaths relics of the 21st century.

27 Oct 2014

Levodopa dose linked to malnutrition risk in Parkinson’s disease

The malnutrition often seen in patients with Parkinson’s disease could be partly an effect of levodopa medication, research suggests.

22 Oct 2014

Aspirin can improve efficacy of schizophrenia treatments

A new study shows that some anti-inflammatory medicines, such as aspirin, estrogen, and Fluimucil, can improve the efficacy of existing schizophrenia treatments. This work is being presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology conference in Berlin.

20 Oct 2014

New drug naming system to be presented at ECNP conference in Berlin

What's in a name? Doctors have found that the name of the drug you are prescribed significantly influences how the patient sees the treatment.

20 Oct 2014

New research shows link between birth season and mood disorders

New research shows that the season you are born has a significant impact on your risk of developing mood disorders. People born at certain times of year may have a greater chance of developing certain types of affective temperaments, which in turn can lead to mood disorders (affective disorders).

20 Oct 2014

Eating high-protein breakfast reduces food cravings, overeating later on

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many teens skip breakfast, which increases their likelihood of overeating and eventual weight gain. Statistics show that the number of adolescents struggling with obesity, which elevates the risk for chronic health problems, has quadrupled in the past three decades.

16 Oct 2014

Researchers define the process of Parkinson's disease using genetic mouse model

Parkinson's Disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. In Germany alone, almost half a million people are affected. The focus of the disease is the progressive degeneration of dopamine-producing nerve cells in a certain region of the midbrain, the substantia nigra. Misfolded proteins are the cause. Until recently, it was unclear why damage is confined to specific nerve cells.

16 Oct 2014

AT2101 drug, evaluated for Gaucher disease, slows progression of Parkinson's disease in mice

A new study from UCLA found that a drug being evaluated to treat an entirely different disorder helped slow the progression of Parkinson's disease in mice.

9 Oct 2014

Acacia Pharma reports positive results from APD421 Phase 3 studies for management of PONV

Acacia Pharma announces positive Phase 3 results with APD421 for the management of post-operative nausea & vomiting (PONV). The data generated demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of PONV with APD421 compared to placebo in adult surgical patients at moderate to high risk of suffering PONV (PONV is defined as any episode of emesis or use of antiemetic rescue medication in the first 24 hours after surgery).

7 Oct 2014

U-M scientists launch $11.5 million effort to better understand cause of Parkinson's disease

Deep in the brains of the million Americans with Parkinson's disease, changes to their brain cells put them at high risk of dangerous falls -- a problem that resists even the most modern treatments.

7 Oct 2014

Research findings could help find ways to enhance overall learning, memory

The more curious we are about a topic, the easier it is to learn information about that topic. New research publishing online October 2 in the Cell Press journal Neuron provides insights into what happens in our brains when curiosity is piqued.

3 Oct 2014

Neuropsychiatric symptoms variable in early Parkinson’s disease

The prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms is increased in patients with early Parkinson’s disease, although many remain stable over time, shows follow-up of the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative.

29 Sep 2014

People who experience migraine in middle age may develop movement disorders later in life

A new study suggests that people who experience migraine in middle age may be more likely to develop Parkinson's disease, or other movement disorders later in life. Those who have migraine with aura may be at double the risk of developing Parkinson's, according to the study published in the September 17, 2014, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

18 Sep 2014

Migraine in middle age linked to Parkinson's disease

A paper recently published in American Academy of Neurology suggests that migraine in middle age may indicate an increased risk of developing a movement disorder, such as Parkinson’s disease. The study also showed that people who experienced migraine with aura were twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s disease compared with those who did not suffer from headaches.

18 Sep 2014

Researchers gain new knowledge about complex processes that cause Parkinson's disease

Using advanced computer models, neuroscience researchers at the University of Copenhagen have gained new knowledge about the complex processes that cause Parkinson's disease. The findings have recently been published in the prestigious Journal of Neuroscience.

17 Sep 2014

Neuroscientists discover key gene linked to origins of speech

Neuroscientists have found that a gene mutation that arose more than half a million years ago may be key to humans' unique ability to produce and understand speech.

16 Sep 2014

FDA approves Contrave extended-release tablets for chronic weight management

Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. and Orexigen® Therapeutics, Inc. jointly announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Contrave® extended-release tablets as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with an initial body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obese), or 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition.

11 Sep 2014

Study ties eating in response to food cues to habit-forming region in obese adults

People who are obese may be more susceptible to environmental food cues than their lean counterparts due to differences in brain chemistry that make eating more habitual and less rewarding, according to a National Institutes of Health study published in Molecular Psychiatry.

9 Sep 2014

Research to help patients suffering from severe spinal cord injuries

Many patients suffer from severe spinal cord injuries after being involved in traffic accidents or accidents at work.

5 Sep 2014

HSP90 suggested as potential therapeutic target in PD

Heat shock protein (HSP90) has been suggested to be involved in neuronal protein misfolding and accumulation in Parkinson's disease (PD) brains leading to dopaminergic neuronal death and the eventual dopamine depletion.

28 Aug 2014