Some interesting AI answers to my question, "Does DHT or Estradiol raise dopamine levels more in the brain?"
Research shows that estradiol has a more pronounced effect on increasing dopamine activity compared to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in various brain regions.
1. Estradiol has been shown to increase dopamine turnover in the striatum and nucleus accumbens, boosting dopamine metabolite levels like DOPAC and homovanillic acid (HVA), suggesting enhanced dopamine metabolism without directly increasing dopamine concentrations (Di Paolo et al., 1985).
2. DHT, while capable of maintaining dopamine metabolism in castrated male rats, does not affect dopamine levels as significantly as estradiol. Studies show that DHT does not lead to a significant increase in tyrosine hydroxylase, the enzyme critical for dopamine synthesis, in contrast to estradiol which does increase this activity (Alderson & Baum, 1981).
3. Chronic estradiol treatment enhances dopamine receptor density in key regions such as the striatum and caudate nucleus, further influencing dopamine-related neurotransmission (Morissette et al., 1993).
In conclusion, estradiol appears to have a stronger impact on dopamine regulation than DHT, especially in areas related to reward and motor function..
