Discover How Dopamine Impacts Serotonin, Hormones and Happiness
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Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes' presentation on dopamine covers its functions, interactions with other neurotransmitters, and the balance and risks associated with altering neurotransmitter levels. Antipsychotics, which affect dopamine receptors, can lead to side effects such as stress, hormonal imbalances, and mood changes due to their interaction with cortisol, thyroid, and gonadal hormones. Dopamine, which cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, is synthesized from L-DOPA and is crucial for motivation, influencing insulin production, food intake, and serotonin levels. It also plays a role in digestion, reducing lymphocyte activity and inflammation, and is essential for muscle coordination and movement. Low levels of dopamine are linked to restless leg syndrome and Parkinson's disease, while high levels can lead to psychosis. The challenge in treating psychosis with co-occurring movement disorders is balancing dopamine levels, as antipsychotics can excessively reduce dopamine. Dopamine's influence extends to motivation and attention in the prefrontal cortex, problem-solving, wakefulness, and learning. It also affects serotonin levels, with D1 agonists acting as serotonin receptor antagonists, which can influence mood. Medications for Parkinson's disease are dopamine 1 agonists, and dopamine agonists can also increase estrogen levels, aiding in conditions like PCOS. Understanding the impact of medications on neurotransmitters is crucial for clinical assessments, as not all doctors are aware of every medication their patients take. The 'Goldilocks principle' applies to dopamine levels, with schizophrenia linked to imbalanced dopaminergic pathways and addictions affecting D2 receptors. Obesity may involve D2 dopamine receptor dysfunction, driving non-hunger-related eating to boost dopaminergic system activity. Major depressive disorder patients show decreased dopamine in amygdala regions, and treatments do not target dopamine levels in the amygdala specifically. Anhedonia in depression is linked to reduced dopamine response to rewards, and newer antidepressants like Wellbutrin act as norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors. Chronic high dopamine levels can cause brain structural changes and addiction, while low dopamine is linked to ADHD, sleep disturbances, and lack of motivation. Dietary changes, supplements, and essential oils may address dopamine insufficiency, with certain foods and nutrients being important for dopamine levels. However, supplements could interact with medications or trigger mania in bipolar disorder. Low dopamine increases the risk for PTSD and affects neurotransmitter balance during events like post-acute withdrawal syndrome, hormonal changes, and stress from mobile phone use. AllCEUs offers credits in addiction studies and a full addiction counselor curriculum.
Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes' presentation on dopamine covers its functions, interactions with other neurot