Dopamine D2 receptor overexpression in cholinergic interneurons of the nucleus accumbens may explain why some are more prone to cocaine addiction than others. Read More
Ketamine increases the number of serotonin 1B receptors. Ketamine binds to serotonin 1B receptors, reducing the release of serotonin and increasing the release of dopamine. Read More
Researchers have identified both genetic and neural mechanisms associated with romantic love and attachment. The maintenance of romantic love is not only associated with subcortical brain regions but also higher-order centers of the brain. The propensity to sustain romantic love appears to also be affected by genetic variability, specifically with genes associated with dopamine, vasopressin, and oxytocin. Read More
Dopamine receptors have different molecular features and functions depending on their anatomical location within the striatum. The findings could help develop better-targeted treatments for a range of disorders from schizophrenia to Parkinson's disease. Read More
Involuntary movements and tremors caused as a result of taking dopamine replacement medications for Parkinson's disease can be alleviated through the suppression of RasGRP1. Read More
Trifluoperazine, a dopamine receptor antagonist commonly prescribed for schizophrenia, used in combination with radiation therapy delays the growth of glioblastoma brain tumors and prolongs survival for brain cancer. Read More
T cells that react to alpha-synuclein are most abundant in the early stages of Parkinson's disease but tend to disappear as the disease progresses. Signs of autoimmunity can appear in Parkinson's patients up to ten years before a diagnosis of the neurodegenerative disease. The detection of T cell response could be an early biomarker for Parkinson's, long before the physical symptoms begin to manifest. Read More
Reducing H3Q5dop in rat models of cocaine withdrawal significantly reversed cocaine mediated gene expression changes and reduced cocaine-seeking behaviors. Read More
Taste perception appears to be controlled by dopamine in fruit fly models. Tracing the neural pathway, researchers found the same pathways were associated with controlling learning and memory. The network also appears to enhance taste sensations. Researchers also discovered eating lots of sugar suppresses sweet taste perception. Read More
Study reveals a novel learning process orchestrated between the digestive system and brain that compels animals to seek out novel foods. Read More
Findings support the theory that impaired prefrontal control of the dopamine system is a key mechanism for the development of schizophrenia. Read More
Neuroimaging reveals how dopamine released from the striatum influences brain activity in the motor cortex and insular. Read More