keep in mind that oral dopamine doesn't enter the brain, THE BRAIN IS DESIGNED TO KEEP DOPAMINE OUT, YOU DON'T WANT DOPAMINE ENTERING ALL AREAS OF THE BRAIN WHERE IT IS LIKELY POORLY REGULATED and why it is broken down so rapidly, i imagine the brain is designed to destroy or sequester dopamine where it shouldn't be. that's why we take l-dopa, it passes the BBB. that's why gene therapy, stem cell research target specific areas of the brain. you don't want GDNF in the wrong place.


we don't produce enough of our own dopamine, the regulation is mainly by cells that are no longer functioning, the goal is to restore those cells, replace them, insert genes into other cells that will at least produce dopamine, etc.

i don't think researchers would be developing these complicated and expensive procedures if they didn't understand dopamine regulation.