All articles tagged with #dopamine
Psychotherapist Niro Feliciano has adopted a new diagnostic approach, asking new clients about their screen time habits before assessing other symptoms of depression. This shift reflects growing evidence that excessive device use can mimic or exacerbate depressive symptoms through dopamine dysregulation.
Two recent studies identify distinct biological mechanisms behind persistent fatigue in long COVID. A Swedish study found reduced cerebral blood flow in the brains of fatigued patients, while a Canadian study linked the condition to the loss of dopamine-releasing neurons in the striatum. These findings suggest that neurovascular and dopaminergic disruptions may underpin symptoms like exhaustion, slow movement, and memory issues, potentially guiding future treatments.
CAMH researchers used PET brain imaging to find reduced markers of dopamine neuron health across striatal regions in people with long COVID, indicating loss of dopamine-releasing neurons that tracks with fatigue, reduced motivation, slower movement, and memory difficulties; the findings point to a dopamine-centered mechanism and could guide new treatments, with a planned clinical trial to test dopamine-boosting approaches alongside inflammation-focused work.
Scientists outline several reasons why days feel shorter as we age: proportional theory (a year becomes a smaller share of life as experience piles up), novelty deficit (fewer new memories mark intervals), attention absorption during routine tasks, emotional flattening (burnout or monotony reduces distinctive memories), and dopamine changes that alter time processing. To slow the felt pace of time, experts suggest adding novelty—trying new activities, seeking surprises, sharing jokes, and pursuing new ideas—to create more memorable moments.
A recent wave of so-called dopamine sites mimics shopping and delivery to trigger anticipatory pleasure without real purchases, a concept that began in South Korea with Food Never Arrives and has spawned imitators like FakeHaul and Food Never Comes (which even offers recipes). Other variants include Damta World, a virtual smoking site. Proponents say these sites can make people more aware of spending, but experts worry the pleasure is short-lived and may intensify cravings, raising questions about their true impact on behavior.
Centanafadine (Simtriyo) is a US-approved ADHD medication for adults and children aged 6+ that uniquely increases dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin by blocking their reuptake. This triple-action approach differs from most stimulants, which mainly affect dopamine and norepinephrine, and has led to debate over whether centanafadine is a stimulant. In four phase-3 trials it improved ADHD symptoms versus placebo and was generally well tolerated, though no head-to-head comparisons with existing meds have been published. Common side effects include reduced appetite, insomnia, dry mouth, and headache, with a warning for suicidal thoughts. It is not yet approved in Australia, and research into its potential for ADHD with anxiety or depression is ongoing.
A small PET study (24 long COVID patients and 24 controls) found about an 18% reduction in dopamine nerve endings in the striatum of people with long COVID, with ventral striatum changes linked to lower motivation and dorsal striatum changes tied to slower movement and memory issues. The alterations persisted for up to 4.6 years after infection, suggesting the dopaminergic system as a potential biomarker for diagnosis and a target for treatment. The study’s sample is small, but researchers plan a clinical trial repurposing a dopamine-influencing drug, highlighting the need for validated long COVID therapies and better access to care.
Dopamine 3.0 releases the first jailbreak for iOS 26, enabling jailbreaking on iOS 26.0 and 26.0.1 for devices with A12/A13 chips and broadening support to iOS 16.5.1 through iOS 17.3.1. AppleDB provides a full device-to-version compatibility breakdown.
A mouse study in Neuron shows early-life stress increases the enzyme SETD7 in ventral tegmental area neurons, raising H3K4me1 marks and loosening DNA to prime dopamine-related genes for later activation. This makes animals more vulnerable to stress and anxiety, providing a potential biological mechanism for how childhood trauma increases mental-health risk and highlighting epigenetic targets for interventions, though human validation is needed; positive experiences might offer protective effects.
A Washington Post feature explains how social media feeds intensify limerence, a consuming and idealized form of romantic obsession, by delivering constant validation, tailored glimpses of possible partners, and dopamine-driven feedback loops that blur reality and deepen fixation.
A new eBioMedicine study finds long COVID patients show an average 18% reduction in dopamine-releasing nerve terminals in the striatum, measured by VMAT2 binding, with lower dopamine cell density correlating with apathy, slower motor speed, and memory issues; blood biomarkers did not reflect these brain changes. The authors suggest dopamine-enhancing treatments could help some patients, but note the study’s small, associative design and call for larger, longitudinal research to confirm causality and guide therapy.
The article explains that midlife brain fog can be caused by hormonal changes during perimenopause or by ADHD, with estrogen and dopamine playing key roles in mood, sleep, memory and focus. ADHD typically begins in childhood, while perimenopause-related cognitive changes appear later, but the two can overlap or even be present together. For those unsure, tracking symptoms over weeks (including pattern across cycles, sleep, work and home life) and discussing detailed examples with a clinician can help determine whether ADHD, perimenopause, or both, warrants specific support.
Florida Atlantic University researchers found that the blind Mexican cavefish become more active when exposed to light, a light-evoked photokinesis opposite to surface fish, driven by dopamine signaling and repurposed brain circuits; the behavior appears heritable, offering insights into brain evolution and potential relevance to human neurological conditions.
New research shows male Drosophila confined in tiny spaces exhibit a lasting drop in courtship after stress, and dopamine release is required to maintain this suppression. Blocking dopamine synthesis or signaling—via drugs, RNA interference, or removing receptors in the mushroom body—and silencing key dopamine neuron clusters (PAM and PPL1) prevents the prolonged reduction, though the immediate decline occurs without dopamine. Longer confinement (7–24 hours) yields suppression lasting days, highlighting a dopamine-dependent mechanism linking stress to reduced mating drive in fruit flies.
A viral TikTok wave describes sudden sadness, dread, or guilt triggered by nipple stimulation in some non-lactating women. Experts say oxytocin fluctuations and possibly dopamine drops could explain the emotional reactions, with parallels to the breastfeeding-related D-MER. The phenomenon is not formally recognized, research is limited, and sufferers are advised to identify triggers, practice relaxation, and consider cognitive behavioral therapy for persistent symptoms.