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It's times like these when I wish there were pictures or drawings to see so I can better understand all this. Shirley -----Original Message----- From: Phil E.Gesotti <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> Date: Tuesday, February 15, 2000 6:04 PM Subject: Re: Dopamine >Audrey, > >Your question "Is it a lack of >dopamine in PD or is it the inability to manufacture and distribute >dopamine >in the brain?" is not at all dumb. How dopamine actually adapts muscle >control in the Basil Ganglia is not well understood. The dopamine is >produced in the Substantia Nigra (SN), but the SN has axons (output of >the neuron) which extend into the Caudate, Putamen and Thalamus of the >BG. These axons terminate in a reservoir of neurotransmitter (dopamine >in this case) forming a synapse with the receptor on the next neuron. >When the neuron fires, neurotransmitter is released across the synapse >and stimulates the receptor. The receptor can then either enhance or >inhibit the ability of the next neuron to fire. > >This latter part is not well understood. How does dopamine impact the >firing of the next neuron? > >So if you ingest a dopamine agonist and it bathes all the receptors all >the time, what is this really doing? This is a good question to ponder >the next time you have insomnia. > >Phil Gesotti 50/46+