A biogenic amine and catecholamine that serves an inhibitory neurotransmitter initiating and modulating a wide range of actions and brain functions; often depleted or unbalanced in various disorders (e.g., Parkinson’s disease, hyperactivity, and schizophrenia). The two important dopamine-releasing nuclei are the substantial nigra in the basal ganglia and the ventral segmental area (VTA) located at the top of the brain stem. In the basal ganglia, it is crucial for the control of voluntary movements. The VTA sends axons to parts of the limbic system and the frontal cortex via a tract called the mesolimbic (mesolimbocortical) dopamine system, which sub-serves reward, pleasure or reinforcement (thus, it has been labeled the ‘pleasure center’ of the brain). Eating when hungry, drinking when thirsty, sex and music have all been shown to activate this system. It is also thought to be involved in drug addiction, as all addictive drugs, whether stimulants (e.g., cocaine) or depressants (e.g., heroin), activate it either directly or indirectly.
See Acetylcholine (AcH), Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Basal ganglia (anatomy), Basal ganglia (functions), Brain stem, Catecholamines, Endorphins, Entorhinal cortex, Epinephrine (or adrenaline), Hormones, Limbic system, Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), Neurotransmitters, Nicotine, Oxytocin, Parkinson’s disease, Prolactin, Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5HT), Tourette’s syndrome