Originally Posted by
chilidog
Both caffeine and ephedrine cause the release of dopamine, as do most stimulants.
From wiki:
Ephedrine is a sympathomimetic amine. The principal mechanism of its action relies on its indirect stimulation of the adrenergic receptor system, which is part of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), by increasing the activity of noradrenaline at the post-synaptic α- and β-receptors.[1] The presence of direct interactions with α-receptors is unlikely, but still controversial.[7][8][9] L-Ephedrine, and particularly its stereoisomer norpseudoephedrine (which is also present in Catha edulis) has indirect sympathomimetic effects and due to its ability to cross the blood brain barrier, it is a CNS stimulant similar to amphetamines but less pronounced, as it releases noradrenaline and dopamine in the substantia nigra.[10]