Dopamine is one of the most well-known molecules that our body synthesizes. We associate this molecule with the pleasure and reward but its functions in our body are a little more complex.
Dopamine is an organic molecule composed of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen atoms, and is also a neurotransmitter (which also acts as a hormone) present in the brains of a variety of animal species. Including, of course, ours.
Our body synthesizes this molecule in two steps from an amino acid called tyrosine. First it is transformed into another amino acid which we call L-dopa, so that later enzymes transform it into dopamine. Dopamine is not the only compound synthesized from tyrosine, other neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and epinephrine also “start” from this amino acid.
Dopamine is one of the “four feel-good hormones,” the others being serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins.
Dopamine makes us “feel good” as it plays a major role in our brain’s reward system. As a neurotransmitter, dopamine is a messenger that transmits information between the cells in our brain and other cells in our body.
It acts as a hormone when released into the bloodstream. The functions of this compound may vary depending on whether the compound is acting as a neurotransmitter or as a hormone, although its functions are concentrated in its first form.
As explained from the Cleveland Clinicwhen dopamine functions as a neurotransmitter, Its functions are diverseand include roles in our movement, memory, attention, sleep and wakefulness, mood, learning, and breastfeeding. In addition to its best-known functions such as “pleasant reward” and motivation, and functions related to behavior and cognition.
As a hormone, dopamine is also activated by our “fight or flight” response to the perception of danger. It also causes blood vessels to dilate or narrow, regulates the amount of sodium in our body and movement in our gastric system, and reduces the activity of lymphocytes in our immune system.
Dopamine can also have unwanted effects on our body. The case of addictions is surely the most important since it can cause other types of problems, from disorders derived from excessive drug or alcohol consumption to obesity. Although dopamine is not only linked to substance addiction: even gambling addiction and our way of interacting with our cell phones are affected by the sensation of pleasure transmitted by this molecule.
When dopamine is missing
Probably the main disorder associated with a lack of dopamine is Parkinson’s disease. According to the American Association of Neurosurgeons, the disappearance of up to 80% of the cells that produce this compound has been observed in some patients who show the symptoms of this disease.
Dopamine is used in the coordination of movement, so its absence can cause some of the symptoms that we associate with Parkinson’s disease, such as tremors, rigidity of movement, or problems with coordination and balance.
The lack of this neurotransmitter has been linked to other disorders such as restless leg syndrome or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is still little we know the relationships between these disorders and dopamine and sometimes it is not clear what the causal relationship is between one circumstance and another: we cannot know if the lack of dopamine causes the disease or if some of these disorders cause a drop in dopamine levels.
The case of schizophrenia and its relationship with our dopamine levels is particular. Some of the symptoms of this disease occur along with an excess of dopamine accumulated in certain regions of the brain, while other symptoms arise along with the absence of the neurotransmitter. Here again we do not know the causal relationships that prevail in this co-occurrence.
In addition to these disorders and diseases, low dopamine levels can affect other aspects of our lives, such as our mood. It can also make us feel tired, unmotivated, suffer memory problems or mood swings, among other circumstances.
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