Direct sunlight is crucial for Dopamine synthesis.

Direct sunlight is crucial for Dopamine synthesis.

A THREAD 🧵

Dopamine is synthesized from the amino acid Tyrosine, The first and crucial step is made by the enzyme Tyrosine Hydroxylase, Sunlight is needed for this step.

The next step is easy and occurs spontaneously(Delta G is highly negative),
A carbon dioxide molecule is released, and we get dopamine.

One study created a difference in Duration of sunshine exposure, One group - 193h, Second group 136h in one month.
The low exposure spent way more time in the sun than the average person and yet...

The results: decrease of approximately 7% in receptor availability. This seems a small difference but 5% to 10% shift in receptor availability is a lot.
That’s not a rounding error, It might be the difference between functioning adult and a clinical disorder, such as depression, anxiety, or addiction

Other Study in mice showed similar results
Tyrosine Hydroxylase activity was more than double in the group exposed to light.

Direct Sunlight to the eye, which is part of our brain and nervous system is a crucial for dopamine synthesis, Winter "blues" is real, low dopamine production is a major cause in depression.