Dopamine & Adrenaline

Dopamine and adrenaline have a powerful relationship in neuroscience which gives insight into the connection between motivation, focus, and fear. Adrenaline is actually produced from dopamine, making them cousins by origin. Dopamine has been labeled “the molecule of more” while adrenaline is often discussed in relation to the fight or flight response. Both of these molecules give us the energy we need to pursue our interests, but they also have a dark side of addiction and anxiety when overstimulated.

Caffeine works on the mind by releasing inhibition on adrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus. This results in more alertness and motivation through release of adrenaline and dopamine. For many of us, this can spill over with too high of a dose. We experience the intense jitters and fear from adrenaline as well as the crash after a spike in dopamine saturates our ability to be interested in anything.

Adrenaline is active during awake states and diminished in sleep and anesthesia. Its production by the locus coeruleus is nearly silenced during REM sleep. There is therefore a close tie between this molecule that is naturally stimulated by fear and the healthy alertness with which we approach an engaged life.

Interestingly, severe stress to an animal results in intense production of adrenaline. This effect impacts the cell in a genetic transformation, resulting in increased activity of the gene responsible for producing adrenaline from dopamine. This means that the cell is changed in a longer lasting way to produce more adrenaline in the future. I can’t help but wonder the relationship something like this could have with PTSD.

My curiosity was stimulated when I was reading this section of my neuroscience textbook and imagining my own relationship with anxiety. I’m a very energetic person, and I always have felt sensitive to the effects of caffeine. I’ve come to realize that my baseline for adrenaline and dopamine production is already high, which makes it easier for me to run into overdrive if I’m not careful.

There are no good molecules or bad molecules for our mental health, and there is no one size fits all balance of chemicals within the brain. What matters is how our own brain is balanced against itself, and the most effective measurement of that balance is our own internal experience. While fear can be a powerful stimulant, and perhaps a necessary component of healthy functioning, it can turn into a darkness in overstimulation and should be wisely managed. Take your emotions seriously and find the balance that creates harmony for you.

With love,

Michael