[1]

Inhibitory - It does not stimulate the brain. Adequate amounts of serotonin are necessary to stabilize mood.

SEROTONINDecember 2012

What is the function of Serotonin? And where is it found in the body?

A "feel good" mood is the result of serotonin doing its job correctly. Like the scales of justice, the central nervous system depends upon balanced levels of serotonin to allow the body to function at its optimal efficiency. This is important when the goal is avoidance of medical situations such as depression, anxiety/panic, bipolar disorder and migraine headaches.

Assisted by the amino acid tryptophan, serotonin levels rise and fall in the brain. This hormone is a chemical credited with maintaining the "happy feeling" because it helps to keep our moods on a steady path. It calms anxiety,

relieves feelings of depression and helps us to have a good night's sleep.

As a neurotransmitter, serotonin directs nerve impulses between the brain and other locations in the body and back again to the brain.Serotonin is known as a monamine transmitter, meaning its primary function is to act as a liaison between the neuron and cell. Derived from amino acid proteins, as much as 90 percent of the body's serotonin resides in the intestinal tract, where it does its part to aid in digestion. The rest is in the central nervous system, activating responses that alter mood and feelings of hunger and anger.

[2]

A lack of serotonin can have an adverse effect on your emotional well-being. For example, you may feel fatigue, sad, or socially withdrawn when your serotonin levels are low. In order to increase your serotonin, you may need medication. However, too much serotonin is not good thing, either. Drastically increasing serotonin levels can cause serotonin syndrome. Serotonin syndrome results from taking medications that cause dangerously high levels of serotonin in the body (like anti-depressants). Having too much serotonin is just as bad as having too little; it can be deadly if left untreated.

Diseases/DisordersLots of disorders and everyday problems have been linked to problems with serotonin levels, such as depression, mood swings and mania, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) especially moodiness and food cravings, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behavior, eating disorders, particularly bulimia and binge eating, plus some forms of obesity, irritability and aggression, migraine and other types of headache, drug and alcohol abuse, and sleep disorders, especially insomnia.

Drugs that have an effect on the amount of serotonin in a person's brain are often used to treat depression as well as anxiety disorders.

Interesting Facts - Scientists think that falling

in love can affect your serotonin levels – A study done in Italy found that students who had recently fallen in love had 40% less serotonin in their blood.

- Serotonin could play a role in why we love chocolate so much – chocolate contains tryptophan, which is a chemical that the brain uses to make serotonin. High levels of serotonin can make us feel really good.

- The most prescribed drugs in many parts of the world are drugs which alter serotonin levels.

- In humans, defective signaling of serotonin in the brain may be the root cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

Drugs Drugs such as Celexa, Luvox, Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft are selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors; they inhibit the re-uptake of serotonin in the brain. Re-uptake is a process where neurotransmitters in the brain are reabsorbed and deactivated or recycled for future use. This causes an increase of serotonin levels, resulting in improved mood, decreased anxiety and inhibition of panic.

MORE ABOUT SEROTONINDiseases, Interesting Facts, and More . . .

Youtube Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLVxickzsNs

Rachel Haefliger,

Sarah Preese, Rich

Battaglia, Rachel Kula

FURTHER INFO:http://www.livestrong.com/article/154361-effects-of-serotonin-on-the-body/