Dopamine hypothesis essay
The dopamine hypothesis is the longest-standing pathoetiological theory of schizophrenia. Because it was initially based on indirect evidence and findings in patients with established schizophrenia, it was unclear what role dopamine played in the onset of the disorder. However, recent research in people at risk for schizophrenia has found that the dopamine hypothesis stems from early research conducted in 's, when in studies amphetamine use increased dopamine levels, increasing psychotic symptoms, while reserpine, which depleted dopamine levels, reduced psychotic symptoms. . The original dopamine hypothesis was: Dopamine-Potentiating Drugs. Although medications that increase DA activity could be effective in treating alcohol use disorders, conflicting results have been reported Swift, 2010. For example, it was suggested that the DA agonist bromocriptine reduced drinking in alcoholics Lawford et al. 1995, but a randomized, double-blind study. This essay examines hypotheses that propose that the neurotransmitters dopamine, glutamate, and gamma-aminobutyric acid GABA cause schizophrenia, and concludes that a joint model in which glutamate affects dopamine and GABA is the most plausible explanation for the mechanism. The dopamine hypothesis is supported by,