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Dopamine receptors are a class of G protein-coupled receptors that are prominent in the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS) and are implicated in many neurological processes, including motivational and incentive salience, cognition, memory, learning, and fine motor control, as well as modulation of neuroendocrine signaling.
Amphetamine, an NDRA and one of the most well-known DRAs. 4-Methylaminorex (4-MAR), the cis- isomer being one of the most dopamine-selective NDRAs known.. A dopamine releasing agent (DRA) is a type of drug which induces the release of dopamine in the body and/or brain.
Dopamine cannot diffuse across the BBB because of the catechol group, it is too polar and therefore unable to enter the brain. The catechol group is a dihydroxy benzene ring. The synthesis of dopamine consists of three stages. The synthesis process starts with an amino acid, called L-tyrosine.
Psychological disorders like that of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be treated with drugs like methylphenidate (also known as Ritalin), which block the re-uptake of dopamine by the pre-synaptic cell, thereby providing an increase of dopamine left in the synaptic gap. This increase in synaptic dopamine will increase binding ...
The mechanisms of sympathomimetic drugs can be direct-acting (direct interaction between drug and receptor), such as α-adrenergic agonists, β-adrenergic agonists, and dopaminergic agonists; or indirect-acting (interaction not between drug and receptor), such as MAOIs, COMT inhibitors, release stimulants, and reuptake inhibitors that increase the levels of endogenous catecholamines.
The anticipation of most types of rewards increases the level of dopamine in the brain, [4] and many addictive drugs increase dopamine release or block its reuptake into neurons following release. [5] Other brain dopamine pathways are involved in motor control and in controlling the release of various hormones.
These are drugs whose primary effects are thought to be mediated by different neurotransmitter systems (dopamine for stimulants, serotonin for antidepressants), but many also increase levels of norepinephrine in the brain. [53] Amphetamine, for example, is a stimulant that increases release of norepinephrine as well as dopamine. [54]
Catecholamine-secreting cells use several reactions to convert tyrosine serially to L-DOPA and then to dopamine. Depending on the cell type, dopamine may be further converted to norepinephrine or even further converted to epinephrine. [4] Various stimulant drugs (such as a number of substituted amphetamines) are catecholamine analogues.