Slide 15 of 24
Notes:
Dopamine is used by several neural systems; Dopamine receptors are metabotropic; both excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (depends on postsynaptic receptor).
The precursor for dopamine (and NE) is tyrosine (this we get from our diet and add an oxygen and hydrogen atom and you get L-DOPA)
Nucleus accumbens is thought to be the brain area that reinforces or rewards people to reuse drugs.
Which neural system would you guess is more affected in Parkinson’s (PD)?
Hint..remember back to Chapter 3 and the midbrain region (extra hint..substantia nigra and basal ganglia have to do with balance and motor coordination).
PD patients are given L-DOPA b/c it can cross the blood-brain barrier whereas dopamine cannot.
These inhibit dopamine reuptake: amphetamine (inhibits reuptake & send NE and DA into synaptic cleft), cocaine (anesthetic in eye drops for surgery), & methylphenidate (aka Ritalin used to treat ADD).
