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Information on Serotonin

Serotonin, a neurotransmitter, enables the brain to relay messages from one area to another. It's made from tryptophan, a building block of protein, and it impacts most functions of the brain.

  1. Function

    • Serotonin impacts your mood, appetite, sleep patterns, learning, memory and sexual desire. It also plays a role in how your heart and muscles function and in the health of your endocrine system.

    Deficient Serotonin

    • If you have a serotonin deficit, you are at increased risk for depression, anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder and excessive anger. Low serotonin levels could also exacerbate attention deficit disorder.

    Excessive Serotonin

    • Too much serotonin, known as serotonin syndrome, can result when you take two drugs that both raise serotonin levels. This is dangerous---and can be deadly if untreated. Symptoms of serotonin syndrome can range from nausea and agitation to hallucinations and rapid changes in blood pressure.

    Significance

    • Many antidepressant drugs, known as selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), work by keeping serotonin circulating in the brain. Popular brands include Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa and Lexapro.

    Considerations

    • In the September 2007 issue of Biological Psychiatry, researchers noted that low serotonin levels result in men becoming more impulsive, whereas women react by becoming more cautious or inhibited.

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