Posted by clipper40 on November 14, 2007, at 3:49:10
In reply to Re: Why aren't stimulants considered dopamine agon, posted by cumulative on November 13, 2007, at 16:21:34
> It's just accepted nomenclature. Agonists in this connection typically refer to something that stimulates the receptor end -- dopamine agonists stimulate the activity of dopamine receptors. Stimulants work differently -- methylphenidate, for instance, blocks the reuptake of available dopamine, and amphetamine forces its release.
Thanks. I knew about the functioning of methyphenidate vs. amphetamines. What I didn't understand was the definition of an agonist. I thought an agonist was everything that caused release of neurotransmitter but I see now that it matters if it's directly or indirectly.
poster:clipper40
thread:794756
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20071104/msgs/795004.html