Here is something I've been wondering about. My doctor tells me that the
substantia nigra (SN) produces dopamine which is a neurotransmitter for
controlling many important bodily functions.
Does a healthy SN produce dopa at a constant rate all the time like a faucet
turned on at one flow level? Or does it sometimes turn off, slow down or
increase the flow? Does the SN simply try to keep a fixed concentration of
dopa in the brain? If it isn't a constant flow, what determines the amount
of dopa to be generated at any given time?
Anyone have an explanation that I could understand?
Ron Reiner
