The neurotransmitter dopamine, known for its role in reward, is involved in recognizing emotions. The drug increased their ability to recognize emotions.
Impact of Dopamine and Placebo on SSRIs
Levels of dopamine and the placebo effect may determine if treatment with SSRIs would work for patients with social anxieties.
Levels of dopamine and the placebo effect may determine if treatment with SSRIs would work for patients with social anxieties.
‘People with disrupted dopamine levels, like in Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia, often struggle with aspects of social cognition.’
In a study by Schuster et al., healthy participants took haloperidol — a dopamine receptor inhibitor — on one day and a placebo pill on another before completing an emotion recognition task. They assessed videos of people expressing an emotion through their posture and gait (i.e., slow movements for sadness, quick, jerky movements for anger). The researchers also indirectly measured each person’s baseline dopamine levels by testing their working memory. The effects of haloperidol varied in each person depending on their baseline dopamine levels. In people with low dopamine, the drug increased their ability to recognize emotions, while in people with high dopamine, the drug impaired their ability. Future work will examine how changes in dopamine levels in disorders like Parkinson’s disease contribute to social cognition impairments.
Source-Eurekalert
Multiple Roles of Dopamine Explored!
New study maps out the multiple roles of a neurotransmitter – dopamine by exploring a much simpler brain of the fruit fly.
New study maps out the multiple roles of a neurotransmitter – dopamine by exploring a much simpler brain of the fruit fly.
Quiz on Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive nervous system disorder that results in a gradual loss of muscle control. It has an impact on the body's ability to control movement.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive nervous system disorder that results in a gradual loss of muscle control. It has an impact on the body's ability to control movement.
Understanding Brain Death
Interactive section of Medindia helps us in better understanding of Brain Death
Interactive section of Medindia helps us in better understanding of Brain Death
