Happy chemical - dopamine

 

Happy chemical - dopamine



Our feelings are unique, but the molecules that cause our feelings are the same as everyone else’s. Our life experiences are unique, but it overlaps with others because each brain focuses on its survival.

You may not think you’re focused on your survival. Your aim is loftier when you talk to yourself in words. But your happy chemicals respond to improvements in your survival prospects, however, you’ve learned to define them.

A student gets a surge of dopamine when he sees the highest results on his result sheet. A gamer is fueled by dopamine as he wins his game. “I did it!” the brain tells the body.

If an ape climbs a high tree for a delicious mango, dopamine spurts as he nears the reward. That tells his body to release the reserve tank of energy, which helps him do what it takes to meet his needs. He doesn’t say “I did it!” in words, but neurochemicals create that feeling without the need for words.

Dopamine helped our ancestors survive by managing their energy. They foraged for food by walking slowly until they saw something that looked promising. That triggered dopamine, and they surged ahead. The mammal brain scans constantly for potential rewards, and dopamine is the signal that it has found some.


What is dopamine?

“Dopamine (DA, a contraction of 3, 4-dihydroxyphenethylamine) is a neuromodulatory molecule that plays several important roles in cells. It is an organic chemical of the catecholamine and phenethylamine families. Dopamine constitutes about 80% of the catecholamine content in the brain.”

It is a monoamine compound with positive inotropic activity. Dopamine can bind to alpha -1 and beta-1 adrenergic receptors.

Dopamine is a Catecholamine in which the hydrogen at position 4 is substituted by a 2-aminomethyl group.

 

Where is Dopamine produced?

“Dopamine is synthesized in a restricted set of cell types, mainly neurons, and cells in the medulla of the adrenal glands. “

The production of Dopamine in the brain is a two-step process.

1.       Amino acid tyrosine is converted into another L-dopa amino acid

2.       L-dopa change into dopamine.

Dopamine act as a neurotransmitter which is a chemical released by neurons to send signals to other nerve cells.

There are several distinct dopamine pathways, which play several roles, mainly reward-motivated behavior. These pathways and cell groups form a neuromodulatory dopamine system.



 

It affects many parts of your behavior and physical functions, such as:

  • ·         Learning
  • ·         Motivation
  • ·         Heart rate
  • ·         Blood vessel function
  • ·         Kidney function
  • ·         Lactation
  • ·         Sleep
  • ·         Mood
  • ·         Attention

 

Dopamine can bind to active sites of receptors as it has a high binding affinity. In mammals, there are 5 types of dopamine receptors and all of them function as metabotropic, G-protein-coupled receptors.

Outside the central nervous system, dopamine functions primarily as a local paracrine messenger.

 

 

Parkinson disease



A deficiency of dopamine associated with cellular death in the substantia nigra results in Parkinson’s.

 Parkinson’s disease is a condition where a part of your brain deteriorates, causing more severe symptoms over time. It can also cause a wide range of other effects on your senses, thinking ability, mental health, and more.

The most widely used treatment for Parkinsonism is the administration of L-DOPA, the metabolic precursor for dopamine.

 

 written by: Rashmi Premathilake

 

 

 

 

 


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