Dopamine Outline

The stimulant medications have been revealed to affect the prefrontal cortex of the brain that is responsible for making decisions, expressing one’s personality and paying attention (Basu). Stimulant medication affecting the prefrontal cortex gives the why it clears the symptoms of this disorder but not the how. The stimulant medication taken for ADHD increases the levels of the two neurotransmitters in the brain one being dopamine, which causes good feelings and may play a role in the creation of memories, and nonepinephrine that is linked to paying attention and arousal (Basu). The increased levels of these two neurotransmitters and the region of the brain they interact with being the prefrontal cortex show the how and why these stimulant medications could be an effective treatment. The ADHD medication treating the symptoms of this disorder remarkably well is one of the reasons proponents back up the practice of using the medication for treatment so fiercely.

Of the six most common neurotransmitters, dopamine is probably the one people know the most about. Dopamine is involved in controlling the reward and pleasure system in the brain. It allows us to recognize rewards and helps give us the ability to go after them. Learning, behavior, and cognition are also affected by dopamine levels. As with anything, if you have an imbalance, then bad things can happen. Parkinson’s disease can be caused by low dopamine amounts. People who have low dopamine levels can be addicted to substances easier.

Had primate models to determine how the change in dopamine levels was related to mental disorders.

For example, teenagers would drive their cars fast because it gives them a rush, a feeling of walking on dangerousness even though it is a stupid attempt at possibly gaining popularity in their friendship circles. Dopamine plays an important role in the brain’s area focused on reward, increasing, decreasing, and the redistribution of dopamine. We discussed the fact that adolescents feel invincible and may share more emotions with their peers which can lead to choosing to take certain risks. For example, if they see (or hear) that their peers are partaking in the consumption of alcohol or drugs, they may do it themselves to feel a part of the gang or to feel just as invincible as their friends are.

The major support and refutation of the dopamine hypothesis has come from the examination of dopamine receptors in these regions of the brain. There are two main types of dopamine receptors, D1 and D2. However, within the category of D2 receptors, there are three subtypes, D2, D3, and D4. (5) Through PET scan analysis of dopamine usage in the brain and post-mordum molecular analysis of brain tissue, researcher were able to determine relative levels of dopamine receptors in patients with schizophrenia compared to non-schizophrenics. Overall analysis of dopamine

The first key point is the brain and how dopamine may affect important brain function. In chapter one our reading begins with the human brain, walnut-shaped with a weight of 1.3 kilograms. The brain is a network on neurons with infinite number of path for neural signals. The views discuss an experiment using fruit lies have dopamine and how it acts on their brain through dopamine receptor molecules.

When a child is diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, most medical professionals prescribe a amphetamine to help the child with his symptoms. These drugs increase the levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that the body naturally produces for movement and attentiveness. When the brain is flooded with dopamine, the body reacts with a feeling of euphoria. The feeling of euphoria is the body’s way of feeling pleasure (Methylphenidate).

Dopamine is commonly known as “The Reward Molecule.” It resides in the central nervous system and influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion. More specifically, dopamine is responsible for reward-driven behavior and pleasure seeking. “Every type of reward seeking behavior that has been

Neurotransmitters provide the connection between one nerve cell and another. It is also now suspected that people with Attention Deficit Disorder have a chemical imbalance of a class of neurotransmitter called catecholamine. Dopamine, helps to form a pathway between the motor center of the midbrain and the frontal lobes, as well as a pathway between the limbic system and the frontal lobes. Without enough dopamine and related catecholamine, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, the frontal lobes are under stimulated and thus unable to perform their complex functions efficiently.

Everyone has different feelings, stress levels, physical needs and physical abilities. Rightfully so this is what gives people an individual element in their character. However, there is a gene that regulates personality which so happens to be located on Chromosome 11 known as D4DR. This D4DR gene has a recipe that contains the ability to create a protein called a dopamine receptor. The main purpose of the protein is to catch Dopamine charges on the outside of the brain thus creating an electronic signal of it's own. The brain uses electrical signals in order to stimulate and enhance chemical reactions creating physical actions. This also allows the brain to do several things at once such as type this essay, inhale oxygen, think, pump blood, and operate internal organs.

Studies also show, a decrease in the ability of the Attention Deficit Disorder brain to use glucose, the body's main source of energy, leading to slower and less efficient activity. Neurotransmitter provide the connection between one nerve cell and another. It is also now suspected that people with Attention Deficit Disorder have a chemical imbalance of a class of neurotransmitter called catecholamine. Dopamine, helps to form a pathway between the motor center of the midbrain and the frontal lobes, as well as a pathway between the limbic system and the frontal lobes. Without enough dopamine and related catecholamine, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, the frontal lobes are under stimulated and thus unable to perform their complex functions efficiently.

The results of these earlier studies were expounded on by research that suggested increased striatal dopamine

An important topic we discussed in class is schizophrenia. The typical age of onset in schizophrenia is during the individual’s mid-20s, but symptoms can start appearing during their late teens until their early 30s (Vernon, 2015). Additionally, only 1% of the population are diagnosed with schizophrenia, regardless of their gender or demographic background, which is a unique aspect compared to other diagnoses. Numerous studies, conducted under a variety of biological etiologies, serve as evidence for schizophrenia. Theses studies include: family studies, twin studies, adoption studies, linkage studies, pregnancy studies, and viral infections studies (Vernon, 2015), but the most dominant is that of identical twins as they have a high concordance rate of 48% (Cromer 479). This means that identical twins (monozygotic twins) have a higher risk of developing schizophrenia compared to fraternal twins (dizygotic twins). Additionally, neurochemistry studies examined that people with schizophrenia have more dopamine receptors, especially D-2 receptors, causing them to have “problems [with] attention, perception, and thought” (Cromer 481). This is known as the dopamine hypothesis which is important because researchers initially thought that it was too much dopamine that led to schizophrenia, but numerous studies verified that this idea was false and rather, that it was an overactive dopamine system that produced more dopaminergic activity. Specifically, through drug testing,

The Dopamine Hypothesis theorizes that the symptoms portrayed in Schizophrenia is can be explained by abnormal function of dopamine in the brain. There have been three versions of the Dopamine Hypothesis. The first version of the hypothesis focuses on the dopamine receptors. Antipsychotic drugs that impact the metabolization and reabsorption of dopamine where found to be effective in treating the symptoms. It was theorized that if the symptoms of a Schizophrenic episode can be treated by the use of dopamine

The first way that dopamine affects our brains is by increased impulsiveness. Adolescents usually don’t reflect on what they are doing, and instead, do something because of an impulse. In an article titled “Dopamine and Teenage Logic.” Siegel said that “pausing enables us to think about other options beyond the dopamine-driven impulse pounding on our minds.” Impulses can be held back by “cognitive control.” Fibers in the brain work together and “create a space between impulse and action.” By being able