Dopamine is a brain neurotransmitter that controls movement, stimulates the metabolism, keeps the circulatory system running and regulates the brain's flow of information. Too much dopamine in the system wrecks havoc with movements and can make...
Dopamine and norepinephrine are chemical neurotransmitters that convey messages from one nerve cell to another. How your brain creates and uses these chemicals is influenced by your diet, with specific foods aiding in or limiting the manufacture...
Smoking cigarettes is one of the hardest addictions to end, because many regions of the brain are wired for reinforcement of smoking. Nicotine, the main active component of cigarettes, acts on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain....
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter molecule of the central nervous system. It is associated with muscle control and movement---deficiencies lead to Parkinson's disease and Parkinson's-like symptoms---as well as a variety of cognitive factors. In...
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter synthesized by your body from the dietary intake of an amino acid called tyrosine, found in protein-rich foods such as meats and cheeses. Dopamine is also a precursor molecule to two other important body...
While only 0.3 percent of the cells in your brain use dopamine, it plays vital roles in human behavior. Much of what we know about dopamine comes from disorders such as ADHD and Parkinson's disease, which involve lower than normal levels of...
Tourette's syndrome is a condition that causes involuntary behavior movements or vocal expressions known as tics. It is related to an imbalance of the brain chemicals called serotonin and dopamine. Certain drugs may interact with these brain...
Exercise provides many benefits for the body and mind. In some rare cases, exercise can cause an excess of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is a catecholamine, along with serotonin, epinephrine and norepinephrine. This group of...
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, or NIDA, once a cigarette smoker inhales a puff of smoke from the cigarette, it takes 8 seconds for the nicotine to travel to the brain. Once in the brain, nicotine causes multiple changes in...
Designer drugs are chemically modified versions of therapeutic medications, which users take to alter their mental state. The physical and mental effects of designer drugs often prove unpredictable because the illegal manufacture of these...
The biological effects of nicotine occur due to its interaction with nerve cells in the body and brain. Nicotine interacts primarily with the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary body responses. The body-wide distribution of the...
Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, transmits signals from neurons to neurons, though few neurons make dopamine. It is when these dopamine neurons are activated that they release the dopamine. There are two parts of the brain that are involved, the...
Dopamine is classified as a catecholamine, a class of chemical messengers that include epinepherine, also known as adrenalin; and norepinephrine. Dopamine facilitates the control of movement, regulation of memory formation and recall, mood,...
Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter created by the body and used by the brain. It travels to various sections of the brain through separate channels and affects several functions in the body. Dopamine is related to hormone regulation, motor...
ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactive disorder, involves the frontal lobes of the brain. The frontal lobes of the brain control how well people pay attention, focus and make decisions. However, much of the activity of the frontal lobes depends on...
Though they may have you subconsciously biting your nails, lighting up after lunch or grabbing one more fistful of fries, your bad habits didn't start out bad. There was motivation behind them. "All habits -- even bad habits -- start out as...
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...
Running is popularly believed to increase dopamine production in the brain. And while that's true, the impact of that action in a runner's brain is more complicated than merely making you feel good. That's because dopamine is more than just a...
No one will ever tell you quitting smoking is easy. According to the Health Center at the University of Mary Washington, 90 percent of people who smoke are heavily addicted to nicotine, and a nicotine addiction is one of the hardest to overcome....
Even emotional reasons for smoking have their root in physiology, according to the Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program. When you inhale nicotine, the substance goes to work on proteins in your brain. Nicotine triggers your brain to release...
Your body can produce the amino acid tyrosine from another amino acid, phenylalanine. Certain foods also contain tyrosine, which is essential for the functioning of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine, according to...
Caffeine, the stimulant present in both tea and coffee, features in the daily habits of millions of people. Commonly used as a pick-me-up after a poor night's sleep, caffeine demonstrates psychoactive properties and can provide a boost in energy...
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that the brain uses to communicate internally. Brain cells called neurons secrete neurotransmitters and receive neurotransmitter signals from other neurons. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that has many functions in...
Caffeine, despite the fact that it's commonly used and very socially acceptable, is a drug that affects the function of your body both physically and psychologically. Many individuals enjoy its attention-stimulating properties, and in reasonable...
Alzheimer's disease is a neuro-degenerative disorder characterized by progressive impairment of memory and cognitive functions. Impairment of short-term memory is usually the first symptom of the disease, while the retrieval of distant memories...
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...
ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is characterized as abnormal levels of inattentiveness, impulsivity and overactivity. ADHD affects 3 percent to 5 percent of children, and while scientists aren't certain of the exact cause, it is...
The neurotransmitter dopamine generates energy for the metabolism, stimulates the heart, helps to regulate the flow of information throughout the brain, controls movement and allows us to experience feelings of pleasure, according to Health News...
Drug addiction is a disorder that develops under the influence of several factors. According to the Mayo Clinic, both environmental conditions and genetics play a part in addictive behavior. Additionally, physiologic changes that occur in the body...
Exercise releases dopamine, which really helps the symptoms of ADHD. Learn how to exercise to control your disorder in this free video clip from a medical professional.
