What Is Dopamine? What Does Dopamine Do?

Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter synthesized in the hypothalamus region of the brain. Neurotransmitters, which can be described as the chemical messengers of the body, carry messages from any nerve cell in the body to the next nerve, muscle, or gland cell. This process enables the movement of limbs, activates the sense of feeling, maintains heartbeats, and allows the body to respond to any information received from the environment.

What Is Dopamine?

Dopamine plays a role in many body functions such as memory, mood, motivation, attention, and movement. It facilitates communication between the nerve cells in the brain and the rest of the body. In addition to its function as a chemical messenger, dopamine also acts as a hormone, being released when your brain anticipates a reward. For example, simply thinking about an activity you enjoy can trigger the release of dopamine. The feeling of achievement you get when you accomplish a task can also increase dopamine levels in the body. Let’s say you really love chocolate cookies; the moment you smell the cookies or see them fresh out of the oven, the dopamine levels in your brain may rise. The dopamine system, which is entirely based on a reward and reinforcement cycle, plays a crucial role in fulfilling essential body functions that a person must perform to survive, such as eating, drinking, competing, and reproducing. Dopamine is also responsible for addictions that provide a sense of happiness, such as sugar and junk food.

What Does Dopamine Do?

In addition to providing a sense of happiness, dopamine is a fundamental component in many body functions, acting as both a hormone and a neurotransmitter. The roles of dopamine as a neurotransmitter in the body may include:

• Movement
• Motivation
• Memory
• Behavior
• Focus
• Attention
• Pain processing
• Mood
• Sleep and arousal
• Learning

As a hormone released into the bloodstream, dopamine plays a role in the body’s fight-or-flight response. In dangerous situations or under stress, the body responds with either a fight or flight reaction. For example, on the last day of an exam, a person tends to be more alert and has heightened perception abilities. Similarly, during a dog attack, a person's heart rate and breathing rate increase, pain perception diminishes, and they can run faster. In this scenario, dopamine can activate alongside adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol.

In addition to these, dopamine can also participate in the following body functions:

• Relaxation or constriction of blood vessels
• Heart and kidney functions
• Pancreas functions and insulin regulation
• Increased sodium and urine excretion from the body
• Slowing down intestinal movements to protect the intestinal lining
• Reduction of lymphocyte activity in the immune system

What Are the Symptoms of Excess Dopamine?

Dopamine levels in the body should be maintained at a certain balance. If you have balanced dopamine levels, you may feel happy, highly motivated, alert, and energetic. When dopamine levels are elevated, it is normal to feel on top of the world for a while. You may experience an increase in sexual drive and feel energetic and enthusiastic. However, having high levels of dopamine can also lead to the following negative conditions:

• Difficulty falling and staying asleep
• Weakened impulse control
• Irritability
• Hallucinations
• Delusions
• Obesity
• Addiction
• Schizophrenia

What Are the Symptoms of Dopamine Deficiency?
When dopamine levels in the body decrease, the following symptoms may occur:

• Fatigue and tiredness due to a lack of energy
• Muscle stiffness and pain, muscle cramps
• Decreased balance and coordination abilities
• Slowed movements or speech
• Unhappiness
• Decreased fine motor skills (problems holding a pen or threading a needle)
• Difficulty eating and swallowing
• Constipation
• Loss of motivation
• Decreased ability to focus and lack of concentration
• Reduced sexual desire
• Sleep problems
• Memory issues

What Are the Diseases Associated with Dopamine?

Dopamine plays an important role in various medical conditions. In the part of the brain that controls motor movements, dopamine is essential for the muscles to perform smooth and controlled actions. It also plays a significant role in the normal functioning of the central nervous system and in maintaining mental health. Diseases associated with dopamine may include:

Addiction
When dopamine reaches high levels in the brain's reward and motivation areas, it can lead to addiction.

Schizophrenia
High levels of dopamine may be associated with schizophrenia. An increase in dopamine levels can lead to alterations in a person's perception of reality, resulting in symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and behavior.

Clinical Depression
Low dopamine levels can cause clinical depression, which is characterized by symptoms such as lack of motivation, attention deficits, and reduced ability to focus.

Bipolar Disorder
Both high and low dopamine levels are thought to affect bipolar disorder. In the manic phase of the condition, dopamine levels are high, while in the depressive phase, dopamine levels are low.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD is believed to stem from genetic factors that result in low dopamine levels.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
In OCD, individuals become obsessed with thoughts or images that trigger emotional distress, developing repetitive behaviors to reduce these obsessions. Anxiety disorders, associated with increased dopamine levels, are thought to contribute to OCD.

Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating, defined as losing control and rapidly consuming large amounts of food to cope with feelings of shame, distress, or guilt, is believed to be related to dopamine irregularities.

Parkinson's Disease
Dopamine deficiency resulting from damage to dopamine-producing neurons leads to Parkinson's disease. This condition affects all body systems and is associated with symptoms related to dopamine deficiency, such as tremors, muscle stiffness, difficulty walking, balance issues, and trouble swallowing and speaking.

Restless Legs Syndrome
This condition involves involuntary leg movements during sleep or rest, which can prevent deep sleep and lead to insomnia. It is thought that there is a relationship between irregular dopamine levels and restless legs syndrome.

Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is characterized by excessive sensitivity to pain, light, noise, odors, temperature, and certain foods. It is believed to be associated with low dopamine levels. Symptoms of fibromyalgia, such as depression, muscle spasms, sleep problems, and difficulty swallowing, resemble those experienced with low dopamine levels.

What is Dopamine Detox? How is it Done?

Dopamine detox is the process of distancing oneself from triggers that increase dopamine release for a certain period. This duration can range from a few hours to several days. During this specified time, the individual must avoid all types of stimuli, particularly pleasurable activities. Often described as a type of dopamine fast, during this detox, a person eliminates stimuli such as social media, sugar, and shopping from their life. However, even without exposure to stimuli, the human body naturally produces dopamine. Disconnecting from the world for a certain period can help break addictions that lead to time and health loss. It may allow individuals to feel more balanced, less stressed, and more focused. Nonetheless, a complete dopamine detox is not truly achievable, and there is no scientific evidence supporting its benefits in the human body.

If you experience symptoms related to dopamine irregularities, such as unhappiness, fatigue, lack of interest in life, muscle stiffness, or difficulty moving, and have concerns about Parkinson's disease, you may consult a specialized doctor.