Many people associate dopamine with the pursuit of pleasure, rewards and thrills. You may associate it with the rush you feel after simple indulgences like eating chocolate or with extreme risk-taking, such as bungee-jumping, but it plays a more active and complex role in the way your brain pursues and responds to rewards. Dopamine regulates some of your most basic compulsions, such as when and how much to eat, and you may find it difficult to feel motivated if you suffer from dopamine depletion.
Dopamine's Role as a Neurotransmitter
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter responsible for several aspects of brain function. These include motor control, memory and motivation. Researchers traditionally define dopamine's role in motivation as one of pleasure-reward pathways. In essence, your propensity to become addicted or seek thrills is largely determined by the presence of this neurotransmitter. More recent views include dopamine's relationship to survival itself, citing that dopamine deficiency leaves you unmotivated toward even the most basic functions of survival, such as acquiring food. It is also highly active during moments when your survival is threatened, such as an incident of drowning, when you become highly excited, thrash your arms and gasp for breath.
Causes of Dopamine Depletion
Dopamine depletion has several possible dietary causes. Alcohol and sugar decrease dopamine activity in the brain. Caffeine increases neurotransmission in your brain, but only temporarily, so it is also considered a cause of dopamine depletion. Drug use, especially the use of stimulants and antidepressants, also inhibits neurotransmission over time. A lack of proper nutrition or sleep can also cause a drop in dopamine levels, as can general stress. Stress and lack of sleep are also associated with exhaustion and fatigue, which are associated with dopamine depletion in turn. If you suspect that you suffer from dopamine depletion, see your doctor for advice on changes you can make.
Outcomes of Dopamine Depletion
Fatigue and lack of motivation are not the only one outcomes. Longer-term dopamine depletion presents more serious threats to your well-being. In Parkinson's disease, which is associated with dopamine depletion, motor and nonmotor circuits begin to fail within your brain. The condition grows progressively worse over time, affecting your motor functions as well as your cognition and moods. The physical symptoms of Parkinson's disease include tremors, postural instability and a slowed ability to start or continue movement.
Ways to Increase Neurotransmission
Your body uses the amino acid tyrosine to manufacture dopamine. You can acquire tyrosine from several types of foods. These include almonds, bananas, dairy and several types of beans and seeds. You can also protect the neurons which utilize dopamine from free radical damage by eating foods that are rich in antioxidants. Your doctor can also advise you about helpful vitamins and, in some cases, prescribe a dopamine supplement to boost neurotransmission.
