Dopamine is a hormonal neurotransmitter produced in the human brain and is responsible for the regulation of brain homeostasis. Dopamine is considered a catecholamine, meaning it acts on your body by turning cellular receptors off rather than turning them on like other hormones. In children, dopamine is highly associated with the regulation of mood and anxiety levels. Maintaining a healthy balance of dopamine in a child's brain is important in children who may suffer from attention deficit disorder, depression, anxiety or autism.
Dopamine Production in Children
Dopamine production is stimulated by an increase in neural activity in the brain, especially as a result from external factors that stimulate feelings of pleasure and enjoyment. Giving a child an unexpected reward can cause a rush of dopamine production, causing sensations of happiness. Eating enjoyable, often sugar-rich, foods can stimulate the production of dopamine in children as well. Dopamine in children can either be released in large amounts rapidly, or in small amounts over a long period of time. Rapid releases of dopamine create intense, yet short-lived sensations of pleasure often followed by an emotional crash.
Mental Effects of Dopamine in Children
Dopamine has many mental and emotional effects in children, and is the driving factor behind the regulation of motivation and pleasure. Dopamine helps regulate a child's sociability, mood, feelings of mental pain and sadness and behavior reinforcement. Low levels of dopamine in a child's brain have been associated with an increase in stress and anxiety and greater prevalence of emotional disorders such as attention deficit disorder, bipolar disorder, social anxiety, schizophrenia, and psychosis.
Physical Effects of Dopamine in Children
As a neurotransmitter, dopamine affects other bodily functions outside of the brain and is especially important for the health and maintenance of a child's renal and cardiovascular systems. Dopamine helps the kidneys maintain sodium balance, ensuring that sodium levels in your body are maintained. Dopamine also affects your cardiovascular system to increase blood pressure and cardiac output. Synthetic dopamine has been used to treat children with congenital heart conditions who may suffer from low cardiac output.
Maintaining Dopamine Balance in Children
Maintaining dopamine homeostasis in a child's body is essential for their mental and physical health. Too much or too little dopamine can have serious effects on both a child's body and mind. Eating a well-balanced diet consisting of lots of fruits and vegetables and minimal sugars and sweets is the biggest contributing factor in maintaining balanced dopamine levels in a child's brain. Chronically elevated or depressed dopamine levels may require medical intervention involving medications that will help bring dopamine levels in children in balance.
References
- "Human Anatomy and Physiology"; Elaine N. Marieb; 2004
- "Motor Control and Learning: A Behavioral Emphasis"; Richard A. Schmidt and Timothy D. Lee; 1999
