dopamine

[ doh-puh-meen ]

/ ˈdoʊ pəˌmin /

noun

Biochemistry. a catecholamine neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, retina, and sympathetic ganglia, acting within the brain to help regulate movement and emotion: its depletion may cause Parkinson's disease.Compare dopa.

Pharmacology. a dopamine preparation used to increase the force of contraction of the heart in the treatment of shock.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL PART OF SPEECH QUIZ!

How well do you know your adjectives from your adverbs? Your preposition from your pronouns? Your interjections from your conjunctions? Let’s put your knowledge of parts of speech to the text! Note: Many of the following questions will ask you to identify the parts of speech “in order.” That means the first word in all capital letters will correspond to the first option in an answer, and so on.

Question 1 of 10

In order, what parts of speech are the words in all capital letters? Alisa was VERY tired, SO she decided to go to bed.

adverb, adverb

adverb, conjunction

adjective, conjunction

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Compare levodopa.

Origin of dopamine

First recorded in 1955–60; see origin at dopa, amine

Words nearby dopamine

doover, doozie, doozy, dop, dopa, dopamine, dopaminergic, dopant, dopatta, dope, dope addict

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for dopamine

The hypothalamus becomes super-charged, the dopamine sets to racing—to violins, the piano, anything.
Was The Beatles’ Music Really That Unique? Yeah, It Totally Was.|Michael Tomasky|February 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Flooding your brain with dopamine and serotonin, it not only heightens feelings of euphoria, but empathy and love as well.
Molly: The Dangerous Drug That’s Too Good to Quit|Abby Haglage|September 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST
It is entirely clear that the dopamine system responds to physical activity.
Are We Killing Our Sports Gene?|David Epstein|August 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
And there is evidence that the reverse is true as well, that physical activity levels respond to the dopamine system.
Are We Killing Our Sports Gene?|David Epstein|August 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Particular versions of dopamine receptor genes have been associated with higher physical activity and lower body mass index.
Are We Killing Our Sports Gene?|David Epstein|August 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for dopamine

dopamine

/ (ˈdɒpəmɪn) /

noun

a chemical found in the brain that acts as a neurotransmitter and is an intermediate compound in the synthesis of noradrenaline. Formula: (HO) 2 C 6 H 3 (CH 2) 2 NH 2

Word Origin for dopamine

from d (ihydr) o (xy) p (henylethyl) amine

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for dopamine

dopamine

[ dō′pə-mēn′ ]

n.

A monoamine neurotransmitter formed in the brain by the decarboxylation of dopa and essential to the normal functioning of the central nervous system. A reduction in its concentration within the brain is associated with Parkinson's disease.3-hydroxytyramine

Scientific definitions for dopamine

dopamine

[ dō′pə-mēn′ ]

A monoamine neurotransmitter that is formed during the synthesis of norepinephrine and is essential to the normal functioning of the central nervous system. A reduction of dopamine in the brain is associated with the development of Parkinson's disease. Chemical formula: C8H11NO2.