I keep reading all these recreational drugs increase dopamine – the ‘feel good’ drug in the brain. So why is just injecting dopamine itself not a thing?

Question

I keep reading all these recreational drugs increase dopamine – the ‘feel good’ drug in the brain. So why is just injecting dopamine itself not a thing?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Dopamine cannot cross the blood/brain barrier. Injecting it into your bloodstream wouldn’t work. Injecting it directly into your brain would create all sorts of other problems. Starting with the fact that you just stuck a NEEDLE into your BRAIN.