Neurotransmitters are endogenous chemicals used by the central nervous system to help communicate signals from one area of the brain to another. According to the website All About Depression, an imbalance in neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, is believed to play a role in clinical depression. Decreased cellular production of these neurotransmitters, a lack of receptor sites able to receive these neurotransmitters, and the inability of these neurotransmitters to reach receptor sites are believed to be some factors in depression.
Serotonin
The neurotransmitter serotonin is a central nervous system modulator and has been shown to calm, soothe and generate feelings of general contentment. An imbalance in cerebral serotonin levels can lead to mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. According to Psych Central, serotonin is believed to play a part in the regeneration of brain cells. Barry Jacobs, Ph.D., a neuroscientist at Princeton University, theorized that the inability to generate new brain cells due to low levels of serotonin, resulting in depression, is reversed by antidepressant drugs such as Celexa and Prozac, which boost serotonin levels and consequently increase the production of new brain cells.
Dopamine
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter believed to be associated with depression. According to a piece in Primary Psychiatry by Donald S. Robinson, M.D., research has shown that individuals with depression have reduced levels of homovanillic acid, a metabolite of dopamine in the central nervous system. This reinforces the idea that dopamine is perhaps functionally deficient in depressed people.
Norepinephrine
Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter often associated with the flight or fight response. It helps the human body recognize and respond to environmental stresses. Low levels of norepinephrine are treated with antidepressants such as serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors which increase the levels of both serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. According to MayoClinc.com, it is believed that increasing the levels of norepinephrine can elevate mood and decrease depression.
