In brief
A chemical in the brain that is vital for controlling muscles and movement. Low levels in some nerve cells cause Parkinson's disease.
- Early signs of Parkinson's disease include tremor or shaking at rest, usually on one side at first, and slower movement.
- Most people with Parkinson's disease are diagnosed at around 65 years of age.
- Sleep problems, including acting out dreams, can be part of Parkinson's disease.
How it works
Dopamine is a chemical in your brain that is vital for the control of your muscles and movement. Parkinson's disease happens when there are low levels of dopamine in some nerve cells. It mainly affects movement and mood, and gets worse over time.
Medicines for Parkinson's disease increase the levels of dopamine in the brain. Levodopa is a building block the body uses to replace dopamine, and dopamine agonists copy the effects of dopamine.
Connections
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Dopamine is linked with
- Low mood and low motivation Supported
Parkinson's disease, which involves low dopamine in some nerve cells, mainly affects movement and mood.
Parkinson's disease happens when some nerve cells have low levels of dopamine, and its medicines increase dopamine levels in the brain.
Dopamine is part of
Dopamine is a chemical in your brain that is vital for the control of your muscles and movement.
Sources
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Summarised from healthdirect. Sources read on 13 October 2026. General education only, not medical advice. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us through the HuBu-Intel contact page.