Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders

2013 Edition
| Editors: Fred R. Volkmar

Dopamine

Reference work entry
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1698-3_823
How to cite

Definition

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is implicated in the pathophysiology of many psychiatric and neurologic disorders. Its most notable psychiatric role is in the pathophysiology of psychosis and schizophrenia, particularly the presence of hallucinations and delusions. However, among a complicated network of neural pathways, dopamine is also believed to influence mood states, anxiety, cognition, and the presence of repetitive symptoms experienced in conditions like autism spectrum disorders (ASD), Tourette’s disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. For these reasons, dopamine is the target of research attempting to uncover etiologies and treatments for such diseases. Understanding dopamine’s relationship to ASD may offer much insight into the pathophysiology of its symptoms.

Dopamine is synthesized in specialized neurons using the amino acid precursor tyrosine (Stahl, 2008). Tyrosine is first pumped from the extracellular space into dopaminergic neurons by a tyrosine...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

References and Readings

  1. Abbott, A. (2007). Neuroscience: The molecular wake-up call. Nature, 447(7143), 368–370.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Anderson, B. M., Schnetz-Boutaud, N., et al. (2008). Examination of association to autism of common genetic variation in genes related to dopamine. Autism Research, 1(6), 364–369.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  3. Baskerville, T. A., & Douglas, A. J. (2010). Dopamine and oxytocin interactions underlying behaviors: Potential contributions to behavioral disorders. CNS Neuroscience and Therapeutics, 16(3), e92–e123.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. Birkmayer, W., & Hornykiewicz, O. (1961). The L-3,4-dioxyphenylalanine (DOPA)-effect in Parkinson-akinesia. Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift, 73, 787–788.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  5. Correia, C. T., Almeida, J. P., et al. (2010). Pharmacogenetics of risperidone therapy in autism: Association analysis of eight candidate genes with drug efficacy and adverse drug reactions. The Pharmacogenomics Journal, 10(5), 418–430.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. Dahlstrom, A., & Fuxe, K. (1964). Localization of monoamines in the lower brain stem. Experientia, 20(7), 398–399.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. de Krom, M., Staal, W. G., et al. (2009). A common variant in DRD3 receptor is associated with autism spectrum disorder. Biological Psychiatry, 65(7), 625–630.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Ehringer, H., & Hornykiewicz, O. (1960). Distribution of noradrenaline and dopamine (3-hydroxytyramine) in the human brain and their behavior in diseases of the extrapyramidal system. Klinische Wochenschrift, 38, 1236–1239.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Emanuele, E., Boso, M., et al. (2010). Increased dopamine DRD4 receptor mRNA expression in lymphocytes of musicians and autistic individuals: Bridging the music-autism connection. Neuro Endocrinology Letters, 31(1), 122–125.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  10. Gadow, K. D., Devincent, C. J., et al. (2010). Association of DRD4 polymorphism with severity of oppositional defiant disorder, separation anxiety disorder and repetitive behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder. European Journal of Neuroscience, 32(6), 1058–1065.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Gadow, K. D., Roohi, J., et al. (2008). Association of ADHD, tics, and anxiety with dopamine transporter (DAT1) genotype in autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49(12), 1331–1338.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Gasso, P., Mas, S., et al. (2009). A common variant in DRD3 gene is associated with risperidone-induced extrapyramidal symptoms. The Pharmacogenomics Journal, 9(6), 404–410.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. Heinrichs, M., von Dawans, B., et al. (2009). Oxytocin, vasopressin, and human social behavior. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 30(4), 548–557.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Kosfeld, M., Heinrichs, M., et al. (2005). Oxytocin increases trust in humans. Nature, 435(7042), 673–676.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Langen, M., Leemans, A., Johnston, P., Ecker, C., Daly, E., Murphy, C. M., et al. (2011). Fronto-striatal circuitry and inhibitory control in autism: Findings from diffusion tensor imaging tractography. Cortex, 48, 183–193.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. Langen, M., Schnack, H. G., et al. (2009). Changes in the developmental trajectories of striatum in autism. Biological Psychiatry, 66(4), 327–333.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. Lecavalier, L. (2006). Behavioral and emotional problems in young people with pervasive developmental disorders: Relative prevalence, effects of subject characteristics, and empirical classification. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36(8), 1101–1114.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. Lee, H. J., Macbeth, A. H., et al. (2009). Oxytocin: The great facilitator of life. Progress in Neurobiology, 88(2), 127–151.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  19. Nakamura, K., Sekine, Y., et al. (2010). Brain serotonin and dopamine transporter bindings in adults with high-functioning autism. Archives of General Psychiatry, 67(1), 59–68.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. Neuhaus, E., Beauchaine, T. P., et al. (2010). Neurobiological correlates of social functioning in autism. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(6), 733–748.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. Sacks, O. Awakenings (E.P. Dutton, 1973).Google Scholar
  22. Staal, W. G., de Krom, M., & de Jonge, M. V. (2011). Brief report: The dopamine-3-receptor gene (DRD3) is associated with specific repetitive behavior in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(5), 885–888.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  23. Stahl, S. M. (2008). Stahl’s essential psychopharmacology: Neuroscientific basis and practical applications (3rd ed., pp. 102–105). New York: Cambridge University Press. 266–279.Google Scholar
  24. Stigler, K. A., Erickson, C. A., et al. (2010). Paliperidone for irritability in autistic disorder. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 20(1), 75–78.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisUSA
  2. 2.Lurie Center for Autism/Harvard Medical SchoolLexingtonUSA