Stating that dopamine, which has an important effect on the reward and pleasure system of our brain, is not only a feel-good molecule, experts draw attention to the role of dopamine in the regulation of genes. In a study, it was determined that dopamine plays an active role in the epigenetic regulation of nerve cells.
Üsküdar University Molecular Biology and Genetics Department Lecturer Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan said that dopamine, which is of great importance for our brain, is produced from an amino acid called tyrosine.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan said, "It is at the center of many biological processes such as our desire for any event such as the reward mechanism and the pleasure we get as a result. It has a role in the regulation of many of our emotional states by working together with the serotonergic system. With the latest study, it was determined that dopamine is not only a pleasure molecule, but also an epigenetic regulator," he said, emphasizing the importance of dopamine.
Epigenetic regulation is essential for cell metabolism
Noting that epigenetic mechanisms are very important and will become increasingly important, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan said
"Epigenetic mechanisms provide when genes should work or when they should stop working. Nutrition, sleep and psychological factors are among the epigenetic regulators. In a study, they reversed the behavioral differences they showed in cocaine deficiency in rats by regulating the epigenetic mechanism of dopamine. This is a very important finding and one of the first studies to show the epigenetic effect of dopamine through physical molecular modifications. In other words, in addition to its neurotransmitter effect between nerve cells, dopamine also plays an active role in the regulation of some genes by binding to proteins called histones."
May bring a new perspective on the mechanism of addiction
Stating that the biology of addiction is very complex, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan said, "This effect of the dopamine molecule in the fight against addiction will perhaps direct the pharmaceutical industry and will be the new epigenetic target of new generation drugs. The important information here is that the withdrawal effect is reversed in rats, which is very important for addiction studies," he said, adding that new treatment mechanisms are likely to emerge.