Kad stāstīju studentiem par bioloģiskajiem amīdiem, viens no tiem bija dopamīns, jaunieši priecīgi sauca "dope!" Dopamīns ir viela, kas mūsu smadzenēs atbild par labsajūtu un ir iesaistīta atalgojuma sistēmā, tādēļ darbojas pieraduma izraisīšanā, tai skaitā narkotisko vielu atkarībai. Dope man zināmajā slengā apzīmē kaut ko foršu vai narkotikas.

Šovakar iebridu guglē, lai noskaidrotu vai šie vārdi ir saistīti, jo tas mani ļoti pārsteigtu, ja tā būtu, jo tas būtu zinatniski pamatots slengs

Question: In recent media reports on the possible physiological mechanism of drug addiction, a brain chemical called "dopamine" was mentioned. It would be quite a coincidence if something called dopamine was what caused dope addicts. What is the origin of the word "dope" and which came first - the discovery and naming of dopamine or the use of the word "dope" in the vernacular?

Answer: Late in the 19th century, "dope" was a general term for various thick or pasty preparations or mixtures, such as insect repellent, face cream, and a lubricant for skis. At the same time "dope" was also a slang term for "medicine."

The "narcotic" sense of "dope" was yet another late 19th century slang application of the word. Sometimes it referred specifically to opium, which in the form of a syrupy liquid was used for smoking. ("Opium" had also long been used figuratively for anything with a narcotic effect.) The precursor of all these senses of "dope" is a Dutch word, "doop," which means "sauce," and "dope" has been used dialectically in English for ice cream topping and gravy, too.


The amino acid "dopa" was first identified and named in 1917. Its name is an acronym of "dihydroxyphenylalanine," a word formed from "dihydr-," which means "combined with two hydrogen atoms," and "oxy-," meaning "containing oxygen," plus "phenyl," which refers to a specific type of atom group, and "alanine," an amino acid. Dopamine was identified in 1959 as a substance formed by dopa in the brain. A deficiency in dopamine was soon recognized as being associated with Parkinson's disease, and a form of dopa known as L-dopa has been effective in treating that disease. The word "dopamine" comes from the combination of "dopa" and "amine."

As you note, recent discoveries have linked dopamine, as a neurotransmitter tied to sensations of pleasure and well-being, with drug addiction. When dopa was first named, however, no one even knew about neurotransmitters, and you can see that the relationship of "dopamine" to "dope" addiction is indeed pure coincidence.