does xanax supress dopamine?

Answer 1

Yes.

"...drugs that can suppress dopamine (Xanax, Valium, Rohypnol, GHB, alcohol, etc.) are sedating, at high doses causing loss of consciousness and amnesia."

Answer 2

Interesting question.

It's actually a hard question to study scientifically, because an experiment where you inject a lab animal with xanax (alprazolam) and then measure dopamine is a poor substitute for someone choosing to each alprazolam.

However, I am aware of one study where an rats were injected with xanax (alprazolam) and the amount of released dopamine was measured. This study found alprazolam at low doses -increased- dopamine release.

Many other studies have found that larger doses of drugs like xanax (benzodiazepines: valium, librium etc) decrease dopamine release. Indeed, the higher the dose, and the more the effects are like anaesthesia, the less dopamine is released.