When an electrical impulse that has travelled downa nerve cell's axon reaches the synaptic button, dopamine stored withinsome vesicles is released into the synaptic gap. This interaction triggers an elctricalsignal which will continue to be relayed until the signal reaches its destinationinanother region of the brain. The electrical impulse might initiate an activitysuch as the contraction of a muscle. Not all of the dopamine released into the synaptic gap reachesthe receptor. The amount of free floating dopamine is controlled by a numberof complex chemical reactions.
Some dopamine is recycled, it is absorbedby the neuron and stored once again within a vesicle.
This process is knownas re-uptake. These chemicals are enzymes which break down dopamine and convert itinto other substances. Parkinson's Disease is a growing national problem.over amillion victims in the USA alone. It strikes mostly people over 40 however it can appear in youngerpatients.one form of the disease even strikes teenagers. Costs the nation about 5.6 billion annually.