Dopamine

noticeable. However, I began to notice an unusual behavior with the schizophrenia patients. They were not cooperating with the psychiatrist when interacting with the doctor. I remembered my professor in neuroscience class, emphasized on dopamine. He stated that the excess dopamine causes schizophrenia. Most of the schizophrenia patients are usually paranoid that someone is going to hurt them, so they find ways to prevent that such as having weapons with them. Also, in the abnormal psychology, I…

Dopamine Receptor D2 The D2 dopamine receptor has an extremely important function in the nervous system. The D2 receptor is metabotropic: it is coupled with a G-Protein linked receptor. This implies that a dopamine receptor is in the G protein-coupled receptor class. They are prominent in the vertebrae of the central nervous system. The synthesis of a dopamine receptor is extremely complicated. The subtypes of receptors differ in function and structure during DNA synthesis by the absence or…

“Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement,” Mayo Clinic states. The most common or distinguished sign of the disorder is a tremor. The tremor usually begins in one of the limbs, most often the hand (Mayo Clinic). Another sign of Parkinson’s disease is a change in one’s speech. Someone with Parkinson’s might talk fast, quiet, with a slur, or there might be a slight delay before they begin to speak. Also, having stiff muscles is another sign of the…

Other evidence in support of the dopamine hypothesis relating to the substantia nigra include structural changes in the pars compacta. Some of the other changes in the substantia nigra include increased expression of NMDA receptors, and reduced dysbindin expression. Increased NMDA receptors may point to the involvement of glutamate-dopamine interactions in schizophrenia. Due to the changes to the substantia nigra in the schizophrenic brain, it may eventually be possible to use specific imaging…

direct pathway consists of the the substantia nigra via the nigrostriadal pathway sends dopamine cells that are excitatory to the globus pallidis internus . The globus pallidus is inhibited creating disinhibition of the thalamus and excitory neurons are sent to the motor cortex. The result is facilitation to the lower motor neurons that innervate the voluntary muscles. In the indirect pathway the dopamine acts as a inhibitory…

from sleep for an extended period of time his mesolimbic dopamine system becomes somewhat over-stimulated. The mesolimbic dopamine system is a part of the brain that regulates the presence of dopamine throughout the brain (Alcaro, Huber, & Panksepp, 2007). When an individual becomes sleep deprived the mesolimbic dopamine system drastically increases the amount of dopamine that is present in the brain (Alcaro, Huber, & Panksepp, 2007). Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that has an incredible…

Sugar has consisted naturally in fruit for millions of years. The first humans identified fruit as a major food source. Necessary for survival, sugar has a considerable impact on brain function. Modern forms of sugar do not always have a positive impact on the brain. Different kinds of sugar impact the brain and body in very different ways. Negative effects of sugar discussed in this paper refer to added sugar. Natural sugar found in whole foods that is not added during processing is considered…

The affect Parkinson’s disease plays in the body is troubling. It affects nearly one percent of the adult population over sixty years old. Each year in the Untied States, there are sixty thousand new cases alone. Close to one million Americans live with its disabling grip, this is more than the collective number of patients affected by multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's disease and muscular dystrophy ("Statistics on Parkinson's"). Parkinson’s is a gradual disease that affects the central nervous…

The drug 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), or more commonly known as Ecstasy, is a synthetic drug that can alter a person’s mood or perception. It also is known to produce feelings of increased energy, pleasure, emotional warmth, and distorts sensory and time perception (What is MDMA). Ecstasy was very popular back in the 1970s and 80’s among those who attended nightclubs and all-night dance parties (Skomorowsky). Ecstasy was taken in order to help party goers get more in tune with the…

Many medicines taken for chorea symptoms block dopamine receptors or attempt to deplete dopamine. GABAergic drugs are also used as adjunctive therapy. Much like Huntington’s Disease chorea, Parkinson’s disease can not be cured. Treatment for symptoms mostly consist of drugs that can pass the blood-brain barrier and then can convert into dopamine. Patients with Parkinson’s disease have low dopamine in the brain, but straight dopamine can not pass into the brain. Other treatments for…