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It's the Norepinephrine not the Dopamine


catbirdseat

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I just read about a clever experiment using knockout mice at UW that showed how norepinephrine is responsible for the rewarding effect of morphine and not the usual suspect dopamine. Dopamine is converted to norepinephrine by an enzyme in a single step. When the converting enzyme was knocked out, the rewarding effect of morphine was lost.

 

Doubtless norepinephrine is involved in the reward for climbing as well. So next time you are halfway up some north face with that shit-eating grin (or when you shoot up- if that's your thing), just remember, its the norepinephrine.

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I just read about a clever experiment using knockout mice at UW that showed how norepinephrine is responsible for the rewarding effect of morphine and not the usual suspect dopamine. Dopamine is converted to norepinephrine by an enzyme in a single step. When the converting enzyme was knocked out, the rewarding effect of morphine was lost.

 

Doubtless norepinephrine is involved in the reward for climbing as well. So next time you are halfway up some north face with that shit-eating grin (or when you shoot up- if that's your thing), just remember, its the norepinephrine.

 

And to think some people find the sciences uninteresting, or even boring! Why, if that doesn't knock off your socks and curl your hair, you don't have a pulse!

 

hahaha.gif

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I just read about a clever experiment using knockout mice at UW that showed how norepinephrine is responsible for the rewarding effect of morphine and not the usual suspect dopamine. Dopamine is converted to norepinephrine by an enzyme in a single step. When the converting enzyme was knocked out, the rewarding effect of morphine was lost.

 

Doubtless norepinephrine is involved in the reward for climbing as well. So next time you are halfway up some north face with that shit-eating grin (or when you shoot up- if that's your thing), just remember, its the norepinephrine.

 

And to think some people find the sciences uninteresting, or even boring! Why, if that doesn't knock off your socks and curl your hair, you don't have a pulse!

 

hahaha.gif

Okay, you want to know the interesting part? The mice don't need norepinephrine to survive after they are born. So if you can come up with a drug that blocks the converting enzyme, you have a possible treatment for addiction, that is free of side-effects.
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Speaking of dopamine, I take this drug, Mirapex (designed for Parkinson's Disease, but also works for restless leg syndrome, which is why I take it). Turns out it can cause a gambling addiction.

 

Something to do with triggering dopamine, but not balancing it with seratonin or somesuch shit.

 

Anyway, I'll bet anyone 10 to 1 that it's not affecting me that way, though.

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