dopamine

American  

[doh-puh-meen] / ˈdoʊ pəˌmin /

noun

• dopamines
  plural

1. 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.

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

---

dopamine British  

/ ˈdɒpəmɪn /

noun

1. 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

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• dopamines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of dopamine

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

Compare meaning

How does dopamine compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• dopamine vs. serotonin

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dopamine dopamines

Animals that had elevated SETD7 levels when they were young developed more reactive dopamine neurons and showed more anxious behavior than mice whose SETD7 levels remained normal throughout life.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026

Now, podcasts give long-form - and less combative - opportunities to connect with voters, while social media gives a quick hit of direct democratic dopamine.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

I had gravitated to the color like a moth to light, seeking the dopamine hit of its glow, as if by osmosis I could absorb and become it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

We have a reasonable understanding of the brain’s “reward circuitry” associated with regions that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026

He ran a test on one of their neurotransmitters that regulates dopamine, which in turn is associated with attention.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

She likes babies: the thought of them fills her with dopamines and endorphins; and the inveterate shopper that she is, buying for them couldn't make her much higher.

From Tokyo to Tijuana: Gabriele Departing America by Steven (Steven David Justin) Sills