Final answer:
Schizophrenia is the mental disorder most closely associated with overactivity of dopamine in the brain, leading to symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions. Antipsychotic medications help manage these symptoms by blocking dopamine receptors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mental disorder correlated with overactivity of dopamine in the brain is schizophrenia. Dopamine overactivity, particularly in the mesolimbic pathway, is associated with the positive symptoms of schizophrenia such as hallucinations, delusions, and psychosis.
Antipsychotic medications are commonly used to treat these symptoms, as they act as dopamine antagonists. These medications block the effects of dopamine by binding to its receptors, which prevents dopamine from signaling to adjacent neurons, thus reducing overactivity.
It is important to note that while these medications can be effective in managing symptoms, they are not a cure for schizophrenia, and most patients require lifelong medication.
Beyond schizophrenia, dopamine dysregulation is also implicated in other psychiatric conditions such as addiction, mood disorders, and even inattention symptoms as seen in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
In the case of addiction, changes in dopamine balance contribute to a loss of control over drug intake and the compulsivity to seek and consume drugs despite adverse effects. In ADHD, medications such as methylphenidate target the dopamine transporters to improve cognitive functions affected by the disorder.