Neurology 215: Dopamine, Parkinson's & Chiropractic

Michael W. Hall, DC, FIACN is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist and a Fellow of the International Academy of Chiropractic Neurology. Through his BrainDC teaching platform (“Science. Health. Life.”), Dr. Hall presents functional-neurology continuing education that connects clinical neuroscience to everyday chiropractic practice. He is a core neurology faculty contributor to CCEDseminars, authoring the Neurology 201–series of online courses.

Upon completion of this course, the participant will be able to:

• Explain dopamine’s role beyond reward — including motor inhibition in the basal ganglia, motivation, and cognition.
• Recognize the clinical presentation of Parkinson’s disease and the pre-Parkinsonian signs a chiropractor may observe first.
• Summarize the research on carbidopa/levodopa therapy and vitamin B6 depletion, and its patient-education implications.
• Trace the dopamine biosynthesis pathway and the roles of dietary protein, vitamin B6, and gastric function.
• Apply five evidence-informed lifestyle strategies that support dopamine function within the chiropractic scope.

• Introduction: Dopamine Beyond Pleasure — the basal ganglia as a dopamine-driven motor inhibitor.
• Parkinson’s Disease: The Dopamine Deficit Disorder — clinical presentation, epidemiology, the Hinz research on PD medications, and the carbidopa/levodopa side-effect profile.
• Vitamin B6: The Critical Co-Factor — cardiovascular relevance and dietary sources.
• GI Health & Nutrient Absorption — the hypochlorhydric patient, PPIs, and B6/B12 uptake.
• Dopamine Neurochemistry & Pathways — biosynthesis (Phe → Tyr → L-DOPA → dopamine), the four dopaminergic pathways, and the cortico-striatal circuit.
• Brain Function: Normal vs. Abnormal Firing Patterns — the integrated circuit, the over-firing mesencephalon, and the exercise dose-response.
• Clinical Implications: Dopamine Deficiency Syndromes — the ADD/ADHD-to-Parkinson’s spectrum and pre-Parkinsonian presentation.
• Naturally Elevating Dopamine: Five Clinical Protocols — body composition, purposeful engagement, goal-setting, novelty, and cold exposure.

This is a self-paced, on-demand online course. After enrollment it is available in your CCEDseminars account for one year, and you may start, pause, and resume as often as you like. A computer, tablet, or phone with audio and a standard internet connection is all that is required.

Course notes, handouts, and references are included in the course notes panel. On completing the presentation and the short post-course test, your certificate is generated instantly and can be printed from your account for your records and board reporting.

CCEDseminars is a PACE-recognized provider (Provider #34015544) through the FCLB, and this course is accredited across a broad list of U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and international regions. Because individual board acceptance and reporting rules vary, confirm current requirements for your jurisdiction on the accreditation list below or via our Contact page. Texas licensees can verify provider status with the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners.

The full, current list of accredited states, provinces, and regions is shown in the accreditation panel on this page.