Amantadine, a Parkinson's drug that simulates the natural brain chemical dopamine and activates the striatum, has also helped some people with disorders of consciousness, probably because it increases the striatum's inhibition of the globus pallidus, which in turn stops smothering the thalamus. (discovermagazine.com)
Although many are aware that elevations of the brain chemical dopamine play a critical role in cocaine's ability to produce a «high» — feelings that trigger the spiral into addiction — the actions of cocaine are far more complex. (sciencedaily.com)
The prevailing theory is that the problems lie in neural networks that use the brain chemical dopamine, in part because drugs such as LSD and amphetamines, which can cause symptoms of psychosis, are known to raise dopamine levels. (newscientist.com)