Dopamine

A neurotransmitter found in the brain and around some blood vessels. It helps control body movements: a deficiency of dopamine in the basal ganglia (groups of nerve cells deep in the brain) causes Parkinson’s disease. Synthetic dopamine is injected as an emergency treatment for shock caused by a myocardial infarction (heart attack) or septicaemia (blood infection) and as a treatment for severe heart failure.

 

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