1. Running head: ANALYZING DOPAMINE Trivedi 1
The Compound Dopamine’s Structure, Purpose, and Use in Society
Sohum Trivedi
The Gwinnet School of Math, Science, and Technology

2. ANALYZING DOPAMINE Trivedi 2
Abstract
My purpose in this paper was to carefully analyze the compound dopamine. This included taking
a thorough look at the structure, synthesis, and use of dopamine. Dopamine consists of a benzene
ring, two hydroxyl groups, and an attached amine group (National Library of Medicine [NLM],
1993).Dopamine, an agonist to D1-5 receptors, causes a chemical reaction when bonded with the
receptor. Dopamine presents itself within the space between neurons, and affects the frontal lobe
and prefrontal cortex of the brain. The neurotransmitter is synthesized in the brain from the
amino acid, phenylalanine, to tyrosine, which is then converted to dopamine through the addition
and subtraction of various molecules and compounds (NLM, 1993). Any malfunction or error in
this process will lead to reduced levels of dopamine, causing depression (Newton, 1991). The
treatment for depression would be addition of one of the various neurotransmitters, possibly
dopamine (Donna, 2000).
Keywords: agonist, receptor, amino acid, neurotransmitter, benzene, hydroxyl,
depression

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The Compound Dopamine’s Structure, Purpose, and use in Society
Everywhere we look we see the effects of our body’s natural drugs on our health, mood,
and interactions. Through all these drugs, one distinguishes itself in playing a vital role of
regulating our mood. Dopamine was originally synthesized in 1910 (Newton, 1991), at which
point its uses expanded until today, where dopamine is related to and used for treatment in over
two hundred diseases and disorders (NLM, 1993). To truly understand why and how this drug
works, we have to look deep into its structure, and mechanism. Dopamine has the properties of a
complex organic molecule with the ability to impact our mental health.
Dopamine has a complex molecular structure. The compound itself can be broken into
two parts: a catechol structure, and a phenethylamine structure (NLM, 1993). These structures
are held together by a single covalent bond. A catechol structure can be broken down into a
benzene ring and two hydroxyl groups (NLM, 1993). A hydroxyl is simply a hydrogen atom
covalently bonded to an oxygen atom. The benzene ring involves six carbon atoms alternating in
double and single bonds forming a ring. Now, hydrogen atoms are bonded to each carbon atom
with single covalent bonds extruding outwards from the ring. A phenethylamine structure
consists of a benzene ring with an attached amine group, which is in this case amidogen (seen in
the chemical formula NH2) (NLM, 1993). Each of these individual structures are relatively
simple in nature. Only when all these components are carefully bonded together, either in a lab
or naturally within our bodies, is dopamine justified to be a complex molecule.
While the chemical structure of any compound contains importance, the mechanism of
action is what truly allows the drug to “work”. Dopamine has a large impact on mental health
specifically due to its mechanism of action. To understand how dopamine works, we must have
some basic background knowledge. Most drugs work on the principle of receptor agonist

4. ANALYZING DOPAMINE Trivedi 4
relationship. A drug, known as an agonist, is attracted to a receptor due to their opposing charges
(Donna, 2000). If the agonist fits into the receptor, a series of chemical chain reactions occur.
Dopamine targets several receptors, but one in particular shows an observable change in mood
and behavior. This is the D1-5 receptor (Donna, 2000). One chain reaction on a molecular level
adds up to nothing. However, with thousands of reactions occurring across thousands of
receptors, a physiological reaction is seen. In dopamine’s case, the D1-5 receptor stimulates the
brain in the regions of the frontal lobes, and the prefrontal cortex (NLM, 1993). Dopamine is
primarily seen within the synaptic cleft, or space between neurons, classifying dopamine as a
neurotransmitter (NLM, 1993).
Now we are left with one question: how does dopamine actually treat mental
disorders. As I have stated previously, dopamine has a large impact on mental health, and treats
over two hundred diseases and disorders. One disorder in particular is affects over nineteen
million people in America- depression (Donna, 2000). To understand how neurotransmitters treat
depression, we have to understand how depression occurs. The main theory behind depression
originates in the monoamine hypothesis. The monoamine hypothesis states, in a basic
vocabulary, that too many neurotransmitters will increase our mental activity above normal (this
would cause disorders such as mania) and that not enough neurotransmitters will decrease mental
activity below normal (causing disorders such as depression) (Newton, 1991). Dopamine itself is
created through a series of chemical processes which we need to understand in order to see how
our body could lack this neurotransmitter. Deep within our brain, an amino acid known as
phenylalanine is converted into tyrosine by the addition of a hydroxyl pair (NLM, 1993).
Tyrosine is then converted to dopamine through the addition of another hydroxyl group, and the
removal of a carboxyl group (carbon dioxide bonded to hydrogen) (NLM, 1993). From here, we

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realize that if the body lacks any of the needed substances required to make dopamine, or cannot
synthesize any of the primary compounds, dopamine will not be produced. Mood and mental
activity is now decreased, this manifests in the form of depression. Treatment for depression
includes, based on the symptoms, a possible variety of neurotransmitters, including, as you may
have guessed, dopamine (Donna, 2000).
Dopamine’s carefully synthesized structure paired with its inherently complicated
structure allows us to see how an unbelievably small compound can have such a large impact on
our health as well as our understanding of chemical structures. Dopamine as a neurotransmitter
has had a huge effect on the twenty-first century in terms of treating mental illness, and
understanding how our mood is correlated to our mind. Even now, in the age of technology, we
don’t completely understand how dopamine and other neurotransmitters work. Maybe one day
in the future we’ll be able to unlock all the secrets of the mind.

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References
Donna, F. (2000, January). Dopamine Injection: Uses, Dosage & Side Effects - Drugs.com.
Retrieved February/March, 2015, from http://www.drugs.com/dopamine.html
Donna’s website contains a wealth of information over thousands of prescription
drugs, their method of action, and their side effects. Her site is much unbiased, and
shows mainly hard fact, with no opinion interjections. The site is founded for the
purpose of providing people with the knowledge of their medication’s risks and
method of action. I found this site to be useful when wondering how dopamine
actually treated mental disorders such as depression. This source helped to increase the
understanding of my topic, and the risks associated with dopamine.
National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health. (1993, March 20). Retrieved
February/March, 2015, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/
The National Library of Medicine is the largest online source of information for
anything related to medicine, such as diseases, disorders, and pharmacology. This
source also contains information on current research in the medical realm, and advice
for new doctors.
This source contains biased and unbiased views depending on the article being read.
All drug and disease descriptions were unbiased, however bias is introduced in blog
type sections, as well as some personal reflections. I would say this source contains
more information than any of my other used sources. The NLM exists to provide a

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wealth of information on almost all topics within medicine to anyone who necessitates
it.
This source really blew my mind, simply with the fact that any questions I had were
explained on an in depth level which can be reached only by a professional with
experience in the area. This was no doubt my most helpful source.
Newton, P. M. (1991, September 10). Psychology Today. Retrieved February/March, 2015, from
https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/dopamine
Newton’s site contains explanations of current debates and previously established
principles within psychology. New articles are introduced weekly on his site, and
readers have the opportunity to post and reflect on his articles through the comments
option below every article. Topics are explained with a slowly increasing depth, so
that both a ten year old and a psychologist could both gleam some new information
from his articles. Articles are divided into separate sections, and readers can click any
section in which they are interested in to see available related articles.
The site is very straightforward, and while Newton adds a human touch to his articles,
no heavy bias can be detected- he represents all sides of an argument and leaves the
option of choosing sides to the reader. Any major bias is only seen in the comments
section of his articles, which are posted by the readers.
This source was very handy for simplifying complex concepts into an understandable
phenomenon, which was essential to understanding what the heck I was reading in the
other sources. I would say this site contains much less hard fact than my other sources,

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however it makes up for it by adding more thought to each topic, so a greater
understanding is achieved of the chosen topic..