Do physically strenuous activities affect how quickly ‘dopamine is used up’? For example, if I’m going to do a workout, is it a good idea to take a little extra medication? I’m also wondering whether, for example, stress causes it to be ‘used up’ more quickly? I’m wondering why the effect of the medication can last for different lengths of time on different occasions, and whether there’s perhaps something I can do to influence this myself?

There are many factors that influence how long the effect lasts. It has been difficult to prove scientifically that physical exertion leads to increased dopamine consumption, but many people with Parkinson’s feel that this is the case. They feel that the medication is like fuel that runs out more quickly if you exert yourself a lot. It may well be worth trying to take a little extra medication (e.g. 50 mg of L-dopa) before a training session.

Stress is even more difficult to study than physical exertion, but it can affect the brain’s own dopamine release, leading to changes in motor function in connection with both ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ stress. It is probably not the case that stress depletes dopamine, but as I said, this is unclear.

Dag Nyholm