Used in research settings to study dopamine-related pathways in the central nervous system. It serves as a prodrug to L-DOPA, designed to improve blood-brain barrier penetration, enhancing delivery of dopamine precursors to the brain. Commonly used in experimental models of Parkinson’s disease to evaluate motor function recovery and dopaminergic neuron activity. Also utilized in neuroscience research to modulate dopamine levels for studying behavior, addiction, and neurodegeneration. Its esterified form allows for greater lipophilicity, leading to improved central nervous system uptake compared to L-DOPA alone.