Eli5: When a dopamine agonist tricks the brain into thinking the molecules are actually dopamine, does the brain understand that it’s not dopamine and is like “that will work too I guess”?
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A receptor cannot distinguish between a substrate and an agonist, that’s what makes it an agonist. Usually such molecules have the same recognition points as the native substrate, making the receptor unable to distinguish the difference. A receptor is kind of like a lock, as long as the pins all get activated to the right height the lock will open.
A receptor cannot distinguish between a substrate and an agonist, that’s what makes it an agonist. Usually such molecules have the same recognition points as the native substrate, making the receptor unable to distinguish the difference. A receptor is kind of like a lock, as long as the pins all get activated to the right height the lock will open.
A receptor cannot distinguish between a substrate and an agonist, that’s what makes it an agonist. Usually such molecules have the same recognition points as the native substrate, making the receptor unable to distinguish the difference. A receptor is kind of like a lock, as long as the pins all get activated to the right height the lock will open.
Chemistry, including neurochemistry, is, at a fundamental level, just keys opening locks. Either the key opens the lock or it doesn’t. 2 different keys that open the same lock have the same end result.
You’re also ascribing agency to your brain as a separate conscious entity separate from you in a way that it isn’t. Your brain *is* you. Yea, your brain does a lot of stuff automatically that you aren’t aware of and can’t control, but the concept of “understanding” is necessarily one of conscious though.
A molecule that looks like another can only simply sit in the receptor and prevent the actual molecule from getting to the brain. Caffeine works in a similar way by preventing the hormone that makes you sleepy from getting in. If you keep taking something that’s mimicking a molecule, the brain will eventually compensate and grow more receptors, but then that’s what causes withdrawal, cuz now you’re essentially overdosing on the actual hormone once you stop.
Chemistry, including neurochemistry, is, at a fundamental level, just keys opening locks. Either the key opens the lock or it doesn’t. 2 different keys that open the same lock have the same end result.
You’re also ascribing agency to your brain as a separate conscious entity separate from you in a way that it isn’t. Your brain *is* you. Yea, your brain does a lot of stuff automatically that you aren’t aware of and can’t control, but the concept of “understanding” is necessarily one of conscious though.
A molecule that looks like another can only simply sit in the receptor and prevent the actual molecule from getting to the brain. Caffeine works in a similar way by preventing the hormone that makes you sleepy from getting in. If you keep taking something that’s mimicking a molecule, the brain will eventually compensate and grow more receptors, but then that’s what causes withdrawal, cuz now you’re essentially overdosing on the actual hormone once you stop.
Chemistry, including neurochemistry, is, at a fundamental level, just keys opening locks. Either the key opens the lock or it doesn’t. 2 different keys that open the same lock have the same end result.
You’re also ascribing agency to your brain as a separate conscious entity separate from you in a way that it isn’t. Your brain *is* you. Yea, your brain does a lot of stuff automatically that you aren’t aware of and can’t control, but the concept of “understanding” is necessarily one of conscious though.
A molecule that looks like another can only simply sit in the receptor and prevent the actual molecule from getting to the brain. Caffeine works in a similar way by preventing the hormone that makes you sleepy from getting in. If you keep taking something that’s mimicking a molecule, the brain will eventually compensate and grow more receptors, but then that’s what causes withdrawal, cuz now you’re essentially overdosing on the actual hormone once you stop.
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