[EXCLUSIVE] The Role Of Dopamine In Addiction



Dopamine refers to a catecholamine neurotransmitter especially important to the regulation and control of sensory and motor activity. It is produced in the brain and, as a neurotransmitter, its role is necessary for the initiation or cessation of nerve cell signals and allows for continued communication of neurons across synaptic gaps. Although produced in minute amounts, dopamine influences mood, as well as reproductive and pleasure-seeking behaviors. Too much of it produces symptoms of schizophrenia, while too little causes tremors typical of Parkinson's disease.

  1. Dopamine Addiction Cycle
  2. Behavioral Addictions And Dopamine
  3. Drug Addiction And Dopamine Levels
  4. Dopamine And Addiction
  5. [EXCLUSIVE] The Role Of Dopamine In Addiction

Within the cerebrum, there are clusters of gray matter referred to as the basal ganglia, which are significantly involved with movement, coordination, and transmitting impulses to the substantia nigra. Responsible for dopamine production, the substantia nigra is a midbrain group of neurons necessary for communication with the basal ganglia. This neurotransmitter is also manufactured by the hypothalamus and ventral tegmentum, a midbrain structure located directly next to the substantia nigra.

Dopamine has been found to be the chief agent in brain reactions, especially regarding addiction (Bell, 2013). This paper is a thesis statement looking to find the extent to which the neuro-chemical dopamine drives and affects addictions. The role of dopamine in gaining addictive tendencies cannot be disputed.

The role of dopamine in addiction
  1. Dopamine also plays a big role in regulating bodily movement. In fact, the destruction of dopamine and the neurons that produce and receive dopamine, is what causes Parkinson’s Disease. Parkinson’s Disease is an awful disease that often starts with shaking of hands, then causes stiffness of the body, and then causing difficulties with.
  2. In summary, dopamine plays a key role in the addiction process, but significant side-effects have limited the use of medications that work directly on the dopaminergic system. The use of DA partial agonists with lower side effect profiles, and appropriate dosing represent important directions for future research in this area.

Certain behaviors are necessary for survival and are experienced as hunger, thirst, and libido. Referred to as the reward circuit system, the brain's mechanism of pleasure-seeking behaviors involves the tegmentum and nucleus accumbens, limbic system structures consisting of dopamine-producing nerve cells. The nucleus accumbens receives information interpreted as a reward, as satisfaction, or as pleasurable from the tegmentum, and dopamine is the neurotransmitter necessary. Playing a primary role in addiction, the action of dopamine is directly influenced by commonly-abused drugs, especially cocaine, heroin, and amphetamine.

Etiology of schizophrenia has been associated with excess levels of dopamine, but it is also thought that other neurotransmitters have a role as well. Schizophrenia refers to a serious mental disease characterized by sensory distortions, irrational thinking, and withdrawal behaviors. The theory of dopamine's role in schizophrenia asserts that psychotic symptoms like hallucinations are due to abnormally high dopamine levels, caused by hypersensitivity or an excessive amount of receptors. Drugs proven to be particularly effective in treating schizophrenia are those that act by blocking dopamine receptors, thereby decreasing the amount produced.

Characterized by shaking while resting, loss of coordination, and a shuffling walk, Parkinson's disease is caused by a dopamine level deficit resulting from the destruction of nerve cell receptors located in the substantia nigra. By the time motor manifestations occur, up to 80% of cells have been destroyed, which typically presents in people over 60 years old. Treatment with oral dopamine would seem effective, but, as it cannot penetrate the blood-brain barrier readily, another drug capable of changing into dopamine referred to as levodopa, is commonly used with success. With progression of Parkinson's disease, levodopa does become less helpful.

“These mechanisms of dopamine signal reinforcement and once you have experienced it, getting conditioned to it is extraordinary important way for nature to ensure that humans, as well as animals, will perform behaviors that are indispensable for survival. So therefore, it shouldn’t surprise us that behaviors such as eating or sexual behavior are linked with increases in dopamine and in the same areas that drugs do it.”

~ Dr. Nora Volkow, M.D., Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse

Whenever you read about the biological mechanisms behind the disease of addiction, you are bound to encounter phrases such as a “surge” or “flood” of dopamine that occurs whenever a substance of abuse is ingested.

But what does that mean, REALLY?

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[EXCLUSIVE]

What Is Dopamine?

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter – a naturally-occurring chemical substance in the body that sends specific messages between brain cells.

What Messages Is Dopamine Responsible for?

The messages that dopamine sends are responsible for a wide variety of bodily functions–

  • Motor function – the ability to move
  • Attentional control – the ability to choose what to pay attention to and what to ignore
  • Inhibitory control – the ability to exhibit self-control
  • Working memory – an important part of the guidance of decision-making and behavior
  • Cognitive flexibility – the ability to switch between thinking about two different things and to think about multiple things at the same time
  • Problem-solving – the ability to find solutions to problems
  • Planning – the ability to organize one’s thoughts and activities in order to achieve a goal
  • Reward-related cognition– the ability to reason, plan, and act in order to be rewarded/reinforced with feelings of pleasure from the brain
  • Incentive salience – “wanting”– the process of desiring something
  • Pleasure – “liking”– the ability to experience something in a positive or enjoyable manner
  • Positive reinforcement – a pleasurable stimulus that occurs in response to a behavior that increases the frequency of that behavior
  • Associative learning – responsive behavioral conditioning

When dopamine production becomes dysfunctional, especially due to substance abuse, these bodily functions can become impaired and contribute to addictive behaviors.

What Happens To Dopamine Levels When a Person Abuses Drugs or Alcohol?

When addictive substances are taken, the body is flooded with up to 10 times the normal level of dopamine. From the very first usage, the brain begins to associate the substance with a huge neurochemical reward. The behavior – the drug/alcohol usage – is reinforced by this reward.

Over time, the brain believes that this artificial elevation of dopamine levels is “normal” and decreases – or stops altogether –natural production. In other words, the ONLY time that the substance abuser is able to experience feelings of pleasure is when they are using the drug/alcohol.

Without natural dopamine production, the substance abuser will not even be able to feel “normal” without the presence of their drug of choice. This further reinforces the drug/alcohol usage.

Dopamine Addiction Cycle

The drug/reward association can be very powerful. For example, cocaine addicts who merely WATCH videos of other people using cocaine will experience an increase in their dopamine levels.

Behavioral Addictions And Dopamine

Addiction

Repeated drug usage results in a person who can no longer control their ability to decide the frequency and/or amount of usage. They have lost control and are ruled by an intense need to compulsively take the drug. English to tamil dictionary free download for nokia mobile.

Drug Addiction And Dopamine Levels

This is an addiction.

Recovery from drug or alcohol addiction takes hard work, strong support, and time. Just as the disease did not develop overnight, it will take a significant while before dopamine production returns to normal.

Dopamine And Addiction

Addictions

[EXCLUSIVE] The Role Of Dopamine In Addiction

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