"The ability to stimulate dopamine transmission is a kind of mark, a kind of label which is common to all these drugs and substances," he said.
It does this by increasing dopamine transmission in the brain.
NET regulation is linked to altered dopamine transmission and schizophrenia-like behaviors.
The level of extracellular dopamine is modulated by two mechanisms: tonic and phasic dopamine transmission.
Like nicotine, it increases dopamine transmission, but to a much lesser extent.
There is some recent evidence implying that SNRIs may also increase dopamine transmission.
Drugs already used to treat schizophrenia, known as neuroleptics, work by blocking dopamine transmission in the brain.
Like drug addiction, schizophrenia and depression have similar structural changes with dopamine transmission.
Lower doses, however, act upon dopamine autoreceptors, resulting in increased dopamine transmission, improving the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
These drugs stimulate dopamine transmission and attempt to normalize motor functions affected by Parkinson's.