Psychopharmacology: Drugs, the Brain, and Behavior notes

Chapter 5 focuses on catecholamines, a group of neurotransmitters that include dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. The chapter begins by discussing the synthesis of catecholamines, outlining the multi-step biochemical pathways that convert tyrosine to dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. It emphasizes the role of specific enzymes, such as tyrosine hydroxylase, which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in catecholamine synthesis. The regulation of these synthetic pathways is also covere...