Dopamine is a signaling chemical--a neurotransmitter--that is used by various cells in the body to communicate with one another. The primary places in the body where dopamine is used are in the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system...
The National Center for Health Statistics reports that more than 1 in 20 Americans over the age of 12 suffered from depression in 2006. Interestingly, a 2005 review in "The New England Journal of Medicine" suggests that the majority of these...
Dopamine is an important nerve chemical, or neurotransmitter, that promotes communication among brain cells. In addition to other important functions, dopamine acts in particular areas of the brain to mediate the sensation of pleasure from...
Parkinson's disease refers to a neurological disorder in which the brain lacks a certain brain chemical called dopamine. The Mayo Clinic states that symptoms of Parkinson's disease include a tremor, rigid muscles, slowed motion (bradykinesia), an...
Dopamine, a chemical signaler of the brain, has important roles in the control of learning and attention and is also involved with motor functioning, or movement. When substances interfere, the amount of dopamine present in the brain is altered...
Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder associated with such symptoms as hand tremors, slow body movements, muscle stiffness, a stooped posture, unsteadiness on the feet and changes in speech. Sometimes, Parkinson's disease also leads to...
Chasteberry is an herbal remedy used to treat various hormonal issues in women, including PMS, polycystic ovary syndrome and symptoms of menopause. Chasteberry appears to act like progesterone in the body, helping to balance the hormones. Widely...
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps us feel pleasure and stay motivated. A lack of dopamine is also central to the development of Parkinson's Disease and restless leg syndrome. Though oral dosing of dopamine is ineffective---it cannot cross...
According to the National Youth Network, 1.1 million young adults between the ages of 12 and 17 meet the clinical diagnostic criteria for drug dependence. Teenagers who are at risk for substance abuse may be depressed, have low self-esteem, feel...
According to Mcgill University's "The Brain from Top to Bottom" website, a mere 0.3% of your brain cells produce dopamine. However having just the right amount of dopamine is vital to the healthy functioning of your brain. Healthy amounts of...
Dopamine agonists are a group of medications that mimic the actions of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Drugs in this medication group include apomorphine, bromocriptine, cabergoline, pramipexole, ropinirole and rotigotine. Dopamine agonists are...
Vitex, or Agnus castus, is also called chasteberry, and the tiny berries of this tree have a long history of use in treating female disorders. Hot flashes are perhaps the most common complaint of menopausal women, and when one strikes, it can...
L-Dopa, also known as Levodopa, is a synthetic drug prescribed mainly to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease. As a sympathetic nervous system stimulant, L-Dopa has the ability to pass through a group of endothelial cells whose main function is...
Dopamine functions as a chemical messenger in three major brain circuits, namely the nigrostriatal, mesolimbic and mesocortical systems. The nigrostriatal system extends from the substantia nigra and terminates in the brain's motor control...
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are a class of drugs used to treat depression. They are also referred to as MAO Inhibitors or MAOIs. Although they are effective, they have many side effects, and can interact with many other drugs and foods. MAOIs...
Smoking is highly addictive, and although the number of smokers has halved in the last 40 years in the United States, smoking is still responsible for hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths annually. Understanding what makes smoking so...
Chasteberry is an herbal remedy that has long been used to treat hormone-related conditions in women, including menopause. Although some small studies have demonstrated that chasteberry does have a positive effect on menopausal symptoms, such as...
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), addiction is a recognized disease that involves a brain disorder and chronic relapsing. The condition is manifested through compulsive behavior in the form of substance abuse. Untreated...
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter responsible for a variety of functions in your body. Your brain uses dopamine for hormone regulation, motor control, memory and emotions. Your cardiovascular, endocrine, adrenal and central nervous systems all...
Dopamine is a useful neurotransmitter connected to the brain's pleasure center. In many people, dopamine is released throughout the day when the appropriate stimuli trigger a response. However, for some people, dopamine is produced excessively....
Dopamine is one of a number of chemicals known as a neurotransmitters that carry signals from various cells in the brain. Dopamine acts on several neurons and has been implicated in addiction and movement disorders. Learning where...
Within the catecholamine family, dopamine is an essential neurotransmitter found in the limbic system of the brain. As the precursor to the neurohormones noradrenaline and adrenaline, dopamine is naturally increased in situations of stress and...
Parkinson's disease is a chronic neurological condition that causes a wide variety of symptoms and makes movement difficult. It affects each person differently and progresses at a different rate. Treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach...
Of all the rich chemicals in the amazing organ we call the brain, dopamine plays one of the most dramatic roles. Too little dopamine can cause slowed movement, apathy and lack of motivation. Too much dopamine is associated with schizophrenia and...
Dopamine is a chemical that is created by the neurons in your brain and acts as a transmitter between nerve cells. Most of the neurons that create dopamine come from the part of your brain called the substantia nigra. Dopamine is necessary for...
Chemical messengers in the body exert their effects by binding to receptors, much like a key fits in a lock to open a door. The nerve messenger dopamine mediates multiple important effects in the brain, and its activity is tightly regulated...
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter located in the substantia nigra of the midbrain that affects emotional responses, control of body movement and the experience of pleasure. The brains of people with Parkinson's disease, according to the University of...
Dopamine is a chemical vital to your mental health. It is one of several types of neurotransmitters found in the brain, all of which help transmit brain signals from one cell to the next. Dopamine's specific functions also include controlling and...
Parkinson's disease is a condition in which neurons in the brain are gradually killed. The neurons that are killed are those that produce large quantities of dopamine, which is a chemical that the brain uses to control movement and other actions....
