Posted by scott-d-o on December 16, 2003, at 8:15:14
In reply to Re: D2 and D3, posted by scott-d-o on December 16, 2003, at 6:03:34
One more thing to add to this. The effect of stimulating a dopamine receptor has nothing to do with the *type* but rather what *area* of the brain the receptor is located in. However, some areas contain more of a certain type of dopamine receptor than others. For example, stimulating dopamine receptors in the pleasure center of the brain known as the nucleus accumbens is the source of about every addictive drug's nature. The most euphoric, and thus most addictive, combination of drugs known is a combination of heroin and cocaine known as a speedball. These have been administered to rats and shown to increase dopamine in this area to ungodly numbers. It is also how just about everyone who has died of a drug overdose has gone out; either the cocaine allows them to inject heroin until long after they would be passed out or the heroin works so well as a painkiller they can't even feel it when their heart is about to explode from the cocaine.
poster:scott-d-o
thread:289676
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031213/msgs/290431.html