dopamine

Dopamine reinforces drug-associated memories

harminka — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:48:16 -0500

New research with mice has provided some fascinating insight into how addictive drugs hijack reward signals and influence neural processes associated with learning and memory. The research, published by Cell Press in the September 10th issue of the journal Neuron, helps to explain why and how drug-associated memories, such as the place of drug use, drive and perpetuate the addiction.

Risk takers, drug abusers driven by decreased ability to process dopamine

harminka — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:45:18 -0600

For risk-takers and impulsive people, New Year's resolutions often include being more careful, spending more frugally and cutting back on dangerous behavior, such as drug use.

Gene therapy reduces cocaine use in rats

harminka — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:54:48 -0500

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have shown that increasing the brain level of receptors for dopamine, a pleasure-related chemical, can reduce use of cocaine by 75 percent in rats trained to self-administer it.

Identification of dopamine cells could lead to future Parkinson's treatments

harminka — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:00:33 -0500

‘Mother cells’ which produce the neurons affected by Parkinson’s disease have been identified by scientists, according to new research published in the journal Glia.

Food restriction increases dopamine receptor levels in obese rats

harminka — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 07:02:27 -0500

A brain-imaging study of genetically obese rats conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory provides more evidence that dopamine - a brain chemical associated with reward, pleasure, movement, and motivation - plays a role in obesity.

Insulin signaling and amphetamines

harminka — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 07:09:00 -0500

Abuse of psychostimulants such as amphetamine remains a serious public health concern. Amphetamines mediate their behavioral effects by stimulating dopaminergic signaling throughout reward circuits of the brain.

ADHD associated with dopamine activity in brain

harminka — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 04:38:59 -0500

Adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show a blunted response to the drug methylphenidate (Ritalin), which increases brain dopamine levels, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. This suggests that dopamine dysfunction may be involved with ADHD symptoms and may contribute to substance abuse that often occurs simultaneously.

Why placebo effect varies from person to person?

harminka — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:03:29 -0500

Why do some people experience a “placebo effect” that makes them feel better when they receive a sham treatment they believe to be real — while other people don’t respond at all to the same thing, or even feel worse"

Study to extend effectiveness of drug for Parkinson's

harminka — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 06:44:46 -0500

After Parkinson's disease patients use the drug levodopa or L-dopa for several years as a treatment for restoring the cellular communication that controls muscle movement by replacing lost dopamine, they begin to experience motor complications that include a shortened response to each dose of L-dopa.

Drugs for Parkinson's disease to ease stroke-related disability

harminka — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 03:18:06 -0500

Scientists have untangled two similar disabilities that often afflict stroke patients, in the process revealing that one may be treatable with drugs for Parkinson's disease.

Restless legs syndrome medical therapy to trigger compulsive gambling

harminka — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 09:33:08 -0600

Demonstration of a link between cognition and execution

harminka — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 09:09:32 -0600