Dopamine

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter. Many kinds of animals and humans use it to transmit information. It is used when the brain sends signals to the muscles in the body to make them move. It can make a person feel good.

Dopamine is an important chemical found in the brain. If the brain does not make enough dopamine, it causes an illness called Parkinson's disease. This can be treated by giving the Parkinson's disease patient a drug called L-Dopa, which the body converts to dopamine.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays many important roles in the human brain and body. If you have ADHD, scientists think that you got it from one of your parents' genes. Typically, a number of genes are involved. Many affect the dopamine neurotransmission. It is a chemical which is triggered by the feeling of being in love, or feeling affection. In most cases, it is also activated by nicotine or cocaine. It can also be activated by marijuana.

Age-related decline in dopamine

A number of studies have reported an age-related decline in making dopamine. There is also a drop the number of dopamine receptors in the brain.^[1]

The reduction of dopamine with aging may be responsible for neurological symptoms which increase in frequency with age, such as decreased arm swing and increased rigidity.^[2] Changes in dopamine levels may also cause age-related changes in cognitive flexibility (~ thinking).

References

↑ Mobbs CV, Hof PR (2009). Handbook of the neuroscience of aging. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-12-374898-0. OCLC 299710911.
↑ Wang E, Snyder SD (1998). Handbook of the aging brain. San Diego, California: Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-12-734610-6. OCLC 636693117.

This short article about biology can be made longer. You can help Wikipedia by adding to it.

[Hof_2009-1] Mobbs CV, Hof PR (2009). Handbook of the neuroscience of aging. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-12-374898-0. OCLC 299710911.

[Wang_Snyder_1998-2] Wang E, Snyder SD (1998). Handbook of the aging brain. San Diego, California: Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-12-734610-6. OCLC 636693117.

[1]

[2]

v t e Phenethylamines
Phenethylamines	Psychedelics: 25B-NBOMe 25C-NBOMe 25D-NBOMe 25I-NBOMe 25N-NBOMe 2C-B 2C-B-AN 2C-Bn 2C-Bu 2C-C 2C-CN 2C-CP 2C-D 2C-E 2C-EF 2C-F 2C-G 2C-G-1 2C-G-2 2C-G-3 2C-G-4 2C-G-5 2C-G-6 2C-G-N 2C-H 2C-I 2C-iP 2C-N 2C-NH2 2C-O 2C-O-4 2C-P 2C-Ph 2C-SE 2C-T 2C-T-2 2C-T-3 2C-T-4 2C-T-5 2C-T-6 2C-T-7 2C-T-8 2C-T-9 2C-T-10 2C-T-11 2C-T-12 2C-T-13 2C-T-14 2C-T-15 2C-T-16 2C-T-17 2C-T-18 2C-T-19 2C-T-20 2C-T-21 2C-T-22 2C-T-22.5 2C-T-23 2C-T-24 2C-T-25 2C-T-27 2C-T-28 2C-T-30 2C-T-31 2C-T-32 2C-T-33 2C-TFE 2C-TFM 2C-YN 2C-V Allylescaline DESOXY Escaline Isoproscaline Jimscaline Macromerine MEPEA Mescaline Metaescaline Methallylescaline Proscaline Psi-2C-T-4 TCB-2 Stimulants: Phenylethanolamine Hordenine Phenethylamine Phenpromethamine α-Methylphenethylamine (amphetamine) β-Methylphenethylamine m-Methylphenethylamine N-Methylphenethylamine o-Methylphenethylamine p-Methylphenethylamine Methylphenidate Entactogens: Lophophine MDPEA MDMPEA Others: BOH DMPEA
Amphetamines	Psychedelics: 3C-AL 3C-BZ 3C-E 3C-MAL 3C-P Aleph Beatrice Bromo-DragonFLY D-Deprenyl DMA DMCPA DMMDA DOB DOC DOEF DOET DOI DOM DON DOPR DOTFM Ganesha MMDA MMDA-2 Psi-DOM TMA TeMA ZDCM-04 Stimulants: 2-FA 2-FMA 3-FA 3-FMA Acridorex Alfetamine Amfecloral Amfepentorex Amphetamine (Dextroamphetamine, Levoamphetamine) Amphetaminil Benfluorex Benzphetamine Cathine Clobenzorex Dimethylamphetamine Ephedrine Etilamfetamine Fencamfamin Fencamine Fenethylline Fenfluramine (Dexfenfluramine, Levofenfluramine) Fenproporex Flucetorex Fludorex Formetorex Furfenorex Gepefrine 4-Hydroxyamphetamine Iofetamine Isopropylamphetamine Lefetamine Lisdexamfetamine Mefenorex Metaraminol Methamphetamine (Dextromethamphetamine, Levomethamphetamine) Methoxyphenamine MMA Morforex Norfenfluramine L-Norpseudoephedrine N,alpha-Diethylphenylethylamine Oxifentorex Oxilofrine Ortetamine PBA PCA PFA PFMA PIA PMA PMEA PMMA Phenylpropanolamine Pholedrine Prenylamine Propylamphetamine Pseudoephedrine Sibutramine Tiflorex Tranylcypromine Xylopropamine Zylofuramine Entactogens: 4-FA 4-FMA 4-MA 4-MMA 4-MTA 5-APB 5-APDB 5-EAPB 5-IT 5-MAPB 5-MAPDB 6-APB 6-APDB 6-Chloro-MDMA 6-EAPB 6-IT 6-MAPB 6-MAPDB EDA IAP 2,3-MDA 3,4-MDA (tenamfetamine) MDEA MDHMA MDMA (midomafetamine) MDOH Methamnetamine MMDMA Naphthylaminopropane TAP Others: 3,4-DCA Amiflamine DiFMDA Selegiline (also D-Deprenyl)
Phentermines	Stimulants: Chlorphentermine Cloforex Clortermine Etolorex Mephentermine Pentorex Phentermine Entactogens: MDPH MDMPH Others: Cericlamine
Cathinones	Stimulants: 3-FMC 4-MC 4-BMC 4-CMC 4-EMC 4-FMC 4-MEC 4-MeMABP 4-MPD Amfepramone Benzedrone Brephedrone Buphedrone Bupropion Cathinone Dimethylcathinone Ethcathinone Eutylone Hydroxybupropion Methcathinone Methedrone NEB N-Ethylhexedrone N-Ethylpentedrone Pentedrone Pentylone Radafaxine Entactogens: 3,4-DMMC 3-MMC Butylone Ethylone Methylone Methylenedioxycathinone Mephedrone
Phenylisobutylamines	Entactogens: 4-CAB 4-MAB Ariadne BDB Butylone EBDB Eutylone MBDB Stimulants: Phenylisobutylamine
Phenylalkylpyrrolidines	Stimulants: α-PBP α-PHP α-PPP α-PVP MDPBP MDPPP MDPV 4-MePBP 4-MePHP 4-MePPP MOPPP MOPVP MPBP MPHP MPPP Naphyrone PEP Prolintane Pyrovalerone
Catecholamines (and close relatives)	6-FNE 6-OHDA a-Me-DA a-Me-TRA Adrenochrome Ciladopa D-DOPA (Dextrodopa) Dimetofrine Dopamine Epinephrine Epinine Etilefrine Ethylnorepinephrine Fenclonine Ibopamine Isoprenaline Isoetarine L-DOPA (Levodopa) L-DOPS (Droxidopa) L-Phenylalanine L-Tyrosine m-Tyramine Metanephrine Metaraminol Metaterol Metirosine Methyldopa N,N-Dimethyldopamine Nordefrin (Levonordefrin) Norepinephrine Norfenefrine (m-Octopamine) Normetanephrine Orciprenaline p-Octopamine p-Tyramine Phenylephrine Synephrine

v t e Alkaloid groups
Indole	Psilocybin Serotonin 5-MeO-DMT Alstonine Dimethyltryptamine Harmala alkaloids Psilocin Reserpine Tryptamine Yohimbine
Phenethylamine	Amphetamine Dopamine Ephedrine Mescaline Methamphetamine Cathinone Phenethylamine Tyramine
Purine	Caffeine Theobromine Theophylline
Pyridine	Coniine
Pyrrolidine	Nicotine
Quinoline	Quinine
Isoquinoline	Codeine Morphine
Tropane	Atropine Cocaine Hyoscyamine Scopolamine
Terpenoid	Aconitine Solanine
Betaines	Choline Muscarine