Tag: dopamine

Men—more often than women—need passion to succeed at things. At the same time, boys are diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum four times as often as girls. Both statistics may be related to dopamine, one of our body’s neurotransmitters. “This is fascinating. Research shows a more active dopamine system in most men” than in

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder caused by the death of dopaminergic neurons in a part of the brain (known as substantia nigra pars compacta), which leads to a deficit of dopamine (DA), one of the main neurotransmitters active in the central nervous system. Symptomatic treatment focuses on increasing the concentration of dopamine

A clinical trial investigating the repurposed cancer drug nilotinib in people with Parkinson’s disease finds that it is reasonably safe and well tolerated. Researchers also report finding an increase in dopamine, the chemical lost as a result of neuronal destruction, and a decrease in neurotoxic proteins in the brain among study participants. Finally, they say

(HealthDay)—Patients with primary restless leg syndrome who begin dopamine agonist (DA) therapy may be at increased risk for adverse psychiatric events, according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. Cheryl Hankin, Ph.D., from BioMedEcon in Moss Beach, California, and colleagues evaluated the association between DA initiation and

Growing evidence shows that the brain’s dopamine system, which drives motivation, is directly affected by chronic, low-grade inflammation. A new paper proposes that this connection between dopamine, effort and the inflammatory response is an adaptive mechanism to help the body conserve energy. Trends in Cognitive Sciences published the theoretical framework developed by scientists at Emory

We all go through periods when our cravings get the best of us. The brain seems to take on a life of it’s own, demanding that we make it happy right now! You may have heard that cravings can be caused by nutrient deficiencies and wondered if that could explain these compulsions for pickles, brownies

Scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have for the first time found direct causal links between the neurotransmitter dopamine and avoidance—behavior related to pain and fear. Researchers have long known that dopamine plays a key role in driving behavior related to pleasurable goals, such as food, sex and social interaction. In general,