4 Things About Dopamine Nobody Talks About (And Why You Should Care)

Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash

For many people, all they know about dopamine is that it’s a feel-good chemical produced in the brain to make us happy.

Here are 4 you probably didn’t know about dopamine.

1. Body Movement

Walking is something most people do without a second thought.

But what we don’t realize is the different neurological and physiological systems that have to be in place to make it possible.

Guess what? Dopamine plays a crucial role in coordinating these systems involved in movement.

Dopamine transmits signals between nerve cells in the brain that control muscle movement.

It helps initiate and control the exact sequences of muscle contractions needed for activities, such as walking, reaching for, and grasping objects.

When the brain stops producing enough dopamine, it impairs body movement, leading to shaking, stiffness, and slowness of movement, as seen in people with Parkinson’s disease.

“When people think about dopamine, they likely think about reward signals,” said Daniel Dombeck. “But when the dopamine neurons…