Dopamine

Dopamine – hydroxytyramine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine. M – 153.2. It is one of the catecholamines. It is formed by decarboxylating 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), which is formed by hydroxylating tyrosine. Dopamine, a precursor of the adrenal medulla hormones noradrenaline and adrenaline, metabolizes as the final product of tyrosine in the liver, lungs, and intestines. In the central nervous system, dopamine acts as a neurotransmitter. The highest levels appear in the nigrostriatal system, and degeneration in this area causes Parkinson’s disease. Dopamine agonists, like amphetamine, can cause psychosis symptoms similar to schizophrenia, while dopamine antagonists treat schizophrenia.

Source | Glossary of Most Commonly Used Biomedical Terms and Concepts | Lithuanian University of Health Sciences | Academician Professor Antanas Praškevičius, Professor Laima Ivanovienė