Dopamine Endocrine and Oncogenic Functions

Dopamine is a small molecule traditionally regarded as a brain-derived neuronal modulator implicated in many neurological and psychiatric disorders. Outside the brain, dopamine fulfills all the criteria of a circulating hormone which affects normal and abnormal functions of multiple organs and regulatory systems and is also involved in many aspects of cancer formation and progression. This book provides a much needed systematic account of dopamine as an endocrine and autocrine/paracrine hormone and fills a major gap in the overall understanding of the production, distribution and actions of this very important molecule.

Key Features:

• Explores the many different faces of dopamine as autocrine, paracrine and endocrine molecule
• Documents the adverse effects of antipsychotics on dopamine functions
• Reviews the many ways dopamine affects the cardiovascular, renal and reproductive systems
• Provides updates on receptor oligomerization and signaling
• Examines the role of dopamine in tumorigenesis