What Is the Function of
Serotonin?
Serotonin is a chemical that helps
transmit messages back and forth
along the nerve pathways of the
body. It is a hormone--a
neurotransmitter--with a big job to
do. Mood, digestion, sleep and
sexuality to name just a few items
that serotonin controls. There is
some evidence that it may even
play a part in the regeneration of
cells.
Always Enough
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.
Hormone and Chemical
As a neurotransmitter, it directs
nerve impulses between the brain
and other locations in the body and
back again to the brain. The
concentrations of serotonin are
higher in critical places along the
central nervous system, such as
the basal ganglia and the
hypothalamus. This natural
hormone is also in cells, peripheral
tissue and carcinoid tumors.
If the serotonin hormone is
naturally in low supply, doctors will
sometimes prescribe 5-
hydroxytryptamine to ease the
mild symptoms of depression that
affect some people. Science, once
again, makes its contribution. This
time it is to produce the feeling of
calmness.
Humans are creatures of patterned
living. They have circadian rhythm
patterns linked to waking and
sleeping periods. It is important to
avoid long days and late hours if
you wish to maintain healthy levels
of serotonin, which replenishes
during periods of sleep just as it
drains with abnormal periods of
wakefulness. Getting up very early
does not help much, either.
More Serotonin Please
Some recreational drugs affect the
level of serotonin that is available
to maintain our "happy feeling" and
ecstasy is one of the newer ones
on the street. Ecstasy mixes the
messages that serotonin sends
along the nerve pathways by
releasing amounts that are beyond
the needs of the body.
The huge release of serotonin
increases emotional awareness,
confidence and intimacy because it
explodes in one big, energetic
burst that noticeably depletes the
amount available for normal use.
Fortunately, the brain can replenish
its storehouse of serotonin.

Much More ... And Fast
The brain can speed up the
production of serotonin if you lay
low, rest the following day, drink
plenty of milk and eat bananas.
The brain will react much faster to
the request your body is making for
more serotonin.
melatonin. Delayed sleep or very
early waking is traceable to low
levels of melatonin. The physician
can determine what is missing or in
low supply: tryptophan, serotonin
or melatonin. The doctor who has
the license to diagnose and treat
can properly prescribe the
appropriate fix-it remedy.

Milk and bananas are a source food What Is the Function of

for tryptophan, which triggers the Dopamine?
production of serotonin. Adding
milk and bananas to this trigger Dopamine is a neurotransmitter
enhances the process in order to produced by the hypothalamus and
maintain a balanced mood and has many natural functions. It can
restore energy levels to the body. also be synthesized and taken as a
medication to treat specific
In addition to performing the conditions, especially neurological
important process of making more disorders.
serotonin, milk and bananas are
"comfort" foods that do not usually Precursor
upset the stomach. Much more Dopamine is needed to produce
important is the fact that they are epinephrine and norepinephrine.
able to give out that "feel good" These compounds are hormones
mood by the time you finish that serve a variety of functions,
enjoying them. Of course, natural- such as the "fight or flight"
born pill poppers are likely to response.
appreciate the availability of
natural tryptophan obtainable at Pleasure
health food stores. Dopamine causes feelings of
Self-diagnosis Could Be Harmful to pleasure and is released by
Your Health rewarding experiences such as
Even if you know exactly what is food and sex. This function of
wrong with you, if depression is dopamine is essential in causing
striking more frequently, you survival-oriented behavior.
should see your doctor. The health
food clerk does not have a license Cognitive Functions
to diagnose or prescribe anything. Proper dopamine levels are
One more element may play a part required to maintain good
in your feelings of depression. cognitive functions such as
concentration, memory and
Serotonin comes from tryptophan, problem-solving. This function
which is present in the makes dopamine useful in treating
bloodstream. In turn, serotonin attention deficit disorder.
makes a substance called
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter brain can cause a decline in
that is naturally produced in the memory, problem solving and
body. It is present in the regions of attention. Neurocognitive functions
the brain that regulate movement, as a whole, suffer a downfall.
emotion, motivation and the
feeling of pleasure. Dopamine
stabilizes the brain activity,
regulated flow of information to
other parts of the brain and
controls movement. It plays a
major part in addiction. Since
Dopamine is a chemical
messenger, it is similar to
adrenaline. It activates the
dopamine receptors.

When Dopamine is supplies as a

drug, it acts on the sympathetic
nervous system. This produces
effects such as blood pressure, and
increased heart rate. Dopamine,
however, cannot cross the blood-
brain barrier. Because of this, it
being administered as a drug does
not affect the central nervous
system.

Dopamine has various functions in

the brain. They are:
Movement
Dopamine is a crucial part of the
basal ganglia motor loop. This
means that it is absolutely critical
to the way our brain controls our
movements. Shortage of Dopamine
causes Parkinson’s disease, in
which a person cannot execute
smooth, controlled movements.
Cognition and Frontal Cortex
function

Dopamine controls the flow of

information to other parts of the
brain. This occurs in the frontal
lobes. Disorders in this part of the