dopamine Our body is basically one of the most recognizable molecules. This molecule with ” pleasure and reward but its functions in our body are a little more complicated.
Dopamine is an organic molecule made of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen atoms, and It is also a neurotransmitter which also acts as a hormone in the brain of various animal species. Completing our course.
It composes our body this molecule In two steps called by amino acid tyrosine. First, it is changed into another amino acid, which we call L-dopa, so that later enzymes convert it into dopamine. Dopamine is not only composed of tyrosine, other neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and epinephrine also “start” from this amino acid.
Dopamine is onefour hormones that make us feel goodothers are serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins.
Dopamine makes us “feel good” as it plays a major role in our brain’s reward system. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that carries information between cells in our brain and other cells in our body.
It acts as a hormone released into the blood. The functions of this compound can vary depending on whether the compound acts as a neurotransmitter or a hormone, although its functions are limited in the first form.
Second explained from Cleveland Clinicdopamine as a neurotransmitter; Its functions are differentand include the papers in ours movement, memoryintention sleep and wakefulnessencouragement, teaching lactation. In addition to its well-known functions, such as “delightful rewards” and motivation, as well as related functions behavior and knowledge.
The hormone dopamine is also activated by our “fight or flight” response to the perception of danger. It also dilates or narrows blood vessels, regulates the amount of sodium in our body and motility in the gastric system, and reduces the activity of lymphocytes in our immune system.
Dopamine can also have unwanted effects on our body. Addiction cases are certainly very important, since it can cause other types of problems, from disorders derived from excessive drug or alcohol consumption to obesity. although dopamine Not just connected with substance addiction: even gambling addiction and our way of interacting with the mobile phone are affected by the sense of pleasure transmitted by this molecule.
When dopamine is missing
Probably the main disorder with dopamine deficiency Parkinson’s disease. As has been said According to the American Neurosurgeon Association, the removal of up to 80% of the cells that make up this compound has been observed in some patients who show symptoms of this disease.
Dopamine is used in the coordination of movement, so its absence can cause some of the symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease, such as tremors, stiffness of movements, or problems with coordination and balance.
Deficiency of this neurotransmitter has been linked to other disorders such as restless leg syndrome or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is still there We know little about 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 any of these disorders drop in dopamine levels.
CASES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA AND their relationship with our particular dopamine levels. Some symptoms of this disease occur with an excess of dopamine accumulated in certain regions of the brain, and other symptoms arise with the absence of the neurotransmitter. Here again, we ignore the causal relationships that exist in this co-flow.
In addition to these disorders and diseases, low levels of dopamine can it affects other aspects of our livesas our way. It can also make you tired, immobile, suffer from memory problems or relapses, among other conditions.
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