To explore whether an altered metabolic pathway of dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) may be related to some previously observed dopamine abnormalities in borderline hypertension, we measured basal and DOPA-induced (500 mg orally) changes in blood pressure and pulse rate as well as in three hourly plasma and urine samples. We found that borderline hypertensive patients compared with controls 1) show...

BACKGROUND In Parkinson's disease (PD), cerebral dopamine depletion is associated with PD subtype-specific metabolic patterns of hypo- and hypermetabolism. It has been hypothesised that hypometabolism reflects impairment, while hypermetabolism may indicate compensatory activity. In order to associate metabolic patterns with pathophysiological and compensatory mechanisms, we combined resting sta...

Accumulating evidence indicates integration of dopamine function with metabolic signals, highlighting a potential role for dopamine in energy balance, frequently construed as modulating reward in response to homeostatic state. Though its precise role remains controversial, the reward perspective of dopamine has dominated investigation of motivational disorders, including obesity. In the hypothe...

The introduction of levodopa therapy for Parkinson’s disease (PD), initially by Birkmayer and colleagues in 1961 and Barbeau and colleagues in 1962, and in its ultimately successful form by Cotzias and colleagues in 1967, still represents the defining landmark in the treatment of PD (1–3). This dramatic advance was preceded by methodical basic laboratory research in the late 1950s and early 196...

When allowed to choose between different macronutrients, most animals display a strong attraction toward carbohydrates compared with proteins. It remains uncertain, however, whether this food selection pattern depends primarily on the sensory properties intrinsic to each nutrient or, alternatively, metabolic signals can act independently of the hedonic value of sweetness to stimulate elevated s...

Striatal dopaminergic activity is significantly correlated with various cognitive activities, mood regulation, and even metabolic homeostasis, and is modulated by the dopamine transporter (DAT). The availability of DAT could be regulated by presynaptic autoreceptors, which are G-protein coupled receptors; however, whether functional variations in the common downstream signaling molecule, G-prot...

Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic that binds to a large number of neurotransmitter receptors, including the dopamine D1, D2, and D4, serotonin and histamine receptors. Its antipsychotic effects are likely the result of potent antagonism at dopamine and serotonin receptors [1]. It is frequently used in Huntington’s disease (HD) since it reduces chorea, is a mood stabilizer, augments antide...

Neural systems that identify and respond to salient stimuli are critical for survival in a complex and changing environment. In addition, interindividual differences, including genetic variation and hormonal and metabolic status likely influence the behavioral strategies and neuronal responses to environmental challenges. Here, we examined the relationship between leptin allelic variation and p...

Among vertebrate species of the major vertebrate classes in the wild, a seasonal rhythm of whole body fuel metabolism, oscillating from a lean to obese condition, is a common biological phenomenon. This annual cycle is driven in part by annual changes in the circadian dopaminergic signalling at the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), with diminution of circadian peak dopaminergic activity at the SCN ...