Dopamine

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter for motivation, drive and reward. It is synthesised from the amino acid tyrosine via DOPA – depending on vitamin B6, iron and BH4. When availability is low, drive and motivation decline.

How dopamine acts in the body

Dopamine is made from the amino acid tyrosine: tyrosine hydroxylase forms L-dopa (with BH4 and iron), and the decarboxylase with vitamin B6 turns it into dopamine. In the brain it acts in several pathways: for controlling movement, for motivation and reward learning, for attention and working memory; in the pituitary it slows the release of prolactin. With vitamin C and copper, dopamine is converted further into noradrenaline; it is broken down via MAO and COMT.

Low dopamine – what happens in the body?

When little dopamine is available, actions are harder to initiate: drive, motivation and orientation towards reward decline, and attention is harder to sustain. The brake on prolactin weakens and prolactin rises. If dopamine-producing nerve cells of movement control are lost, movements become slower and stiffer. Little tyrosine, iron or vitamin B6 can contribute to lower production.

High dopamine – what happens in the body?

A lot of dopamine – for example from certain medications or drugs – strengthens drive and reward signals, but can cause restlessness, sleeplessness, impulsivity and, in extreme cases, perceptual disturbances. Values measured in urine mainly reflect production in the kidneys and the nervous system outside the brain.

The interpretation is given in your report.