William Banks, MD '79 • Professor of Internal Medicine • Professor of Pharmacological and Physiological Sciences • Saint Louis University School of Medicine • October 23, 2009
@bubb95 dopamine for example doesn't cross the BBB. For example, in Parkinsons disease, a markedly decreased production of dopamine production in the brain effects can't be treated simply by giving a patient dopamine injections. The drug L-dopa is a dopimangergic hormone that can cross the BBB and is used to alleviate symptoms short-term. The BBB blows my mind.
@bubb95 I'm not sure what use neurotransmitters would serve in the peripheral circulation. If they act on cells of the brain, there is no advantage to this. My guess, although not professional, would be that what is made by the cells of the brain, stays in the brain's environment because they are usually the only ones that use it. Find out which cells make each of those compounds, and find out which cells they act on. This should answer your question.
I'm not medical forgive my ignorance, but does serotonin, dopamine or angiontensin cross the barrier? I.e. does a blood test for the first two give an accurate reflection of levels in the brain?
thanks.. this was helpful to me
harman7610 1 day ago
Fascinating.
Burnz2much 2 months ago
@bubb95 dopamine for example doesn't cross the BBB. For example, in Parkinsons disease, a markedly decreased production of dopamine production in the brain effects can't be treated simply by giving a patient dopamine injections. The drug L-dopa is a dopimangergic hormone that can cross the BBB and is used to alleviate symptoms short-term. The BBB blows my mind.
chachachachaching 4 months ago
@bubb95 I'm not sure what use neurotransmitters would serve in the peripheral circulation. If they act on cells of the brain, there is no advantage to this. My guess, although not professional, would be that what is made by the cells of the brain, stays in the brain's environment because they are usually the only ones that use it. Find out which cells make each of those compounds, and find out which cells they act on. This should answer your question.
SHIFTnopistons 6 months ago
I'm not medical forgive my ignorance, but does serotonin, dopamine or angiontensin cross the barrier? I.e. does a blood test for the first two give an accurate reflection of levels in the brain?
bubb95 8 months ago