Choosing the right antidepressant is an important part of treating depression, and the possible side effects of a medication can be a deterrent. The Mayo Clinic adds that "bothersome side effects can make it difficult to stick with treatment."...
Dopamine is a type of chemical known as a neurotransmitter, which is produced naturally in the brain to help ensure proper brain function. Sometimes dopamine production or activity becomes dysfunctional, in which case treatment with supplements or...
In cases of severe depression, medication can be helpful in managing symptoms. Antidepressants work by targeting specific neurotransmitters linked to mood and increase their levels in the brain. The first choices of medications for severe...
It's impossible to understand how antidepressants work without a clear understanding of the functions of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are released in the brain. They enable impulses from one nerve cell to pass to another...
Antidepressants are medications for treating anxiety and depressive disorders. They work by interfering with the neurotransmitter levels in the brain, thus improving the patient's mood and decreasing the symptoms of the mood disorder. Multiple...
Antidepressants are the medicine of choice when treating depression, though they are not all the same. Each type of antidepressant acts on a different neurotransmitter, which affects how the patient's body reacts. The Mayo Clinic states that...
Depression is one of the most common mental health problems affecting people of all ages and backgrounds. According to the American Psychiatric Association, up to 25 percent of the population will suffer from a depressive disorder at some point...
Norepinephrine, a hormone secreted by the adrenal gland, transmits signals between nerve cells in the brain and also works to constrict blood vessels. Doctors inject it to help regulate blood conditions or use medication to increase levels of the...
Cymbalta is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, or SNRI. This type of antidepressant affects the levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine by inhibiting their re-absorption in the brain. Many other drugs...
Depression is a disorder in which an individual has major depressive episodes that include symptoms such as loss of interest and pleasure in hobbies or work, sadness, weight changes, and trouble sleeping. Several medications are available for...
According to Medline Plus, more than 20 million people in the United States have ongoing depression. Symptoms of depression can include sadness, reduced or loss of interest in pleasurable activities, reduced energy or severe thoughts such as death...
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, or a chemical that helps brain cells communicate with one another. Its specific function is to regulate attention, memory, pleasure, reward and motor functions. Dopamine levels that are too low can lead to mental...
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that regulates movement, emotional response and the ability to feel pleasure and pain. When dopamine is secreted from the presynaptic neuron, it moves into the frontal lobe and regulates the flow of information from...
Approximately 20.9 million American adults suffer from a mood disorder, states the National Institute of Mental Health. Moderate to severe cases of depression are treated with a combination of therapy and antidepressant medications. Mild forms of...
Neurotransmitters are the body's delivery system. Just like in a relay race, they hand off your brain's intentions from one to the next. If you want a book on the top shelf, your brain instructs your hand to reach for it. Your hand can't do that...
There are more drugs approved to treat depression than for treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), but many times doctors prescribe antidepressants and many other psychiatric medications "off-label" in the treatment of OCD, notes...
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, causes problems with sustaining attention and controlling impulses and activity level. Symptoms of ADHD can start during childhood and continue into adulthood. Some patients manage their symptoms...
Dopamine is one of a number of chemicals known as a neurotransmitters that carry signals from various cells in the brain. Dopamine acts on several neurons and has been implicated in addiction and movement disorders. Learning where...
Within the catecholamine family, dopamine is an essential neurotransmitter found in the limbic system of the brain. As the precursor to the neurohormones noradrenaline and adrenaline, dopamine is naturally increased in situations of stress and...
There are several medications available for treating depression. Medications serve to improve symptoms and in many cases attempt to replace chemicals in the brain that are not balanced, thus causing the symptoms. Antidepressants are the general...
Depression is a common mental health problem that is often treated by a class of medication called serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. Examples of SSRIs include fluoxetine--Prozac--and sertraline--Zoloft. This group of medications...
Psychiatrists prescribe both Paxil, or paroxetine hydrochloride, and Wellbutrin, or bupropion, to treat depression. Paxil is also approved to treat obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety...
Depression is a mood disorder in which patients experience immense sadness, irritability and self-blame. When the symptoms are left unchecked, they can escalate to thoughts and attempts of suicide. For some patients, the symptoms of depression are...
Depressive symptoms are more than just feeling blue from time to time. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression interferes with your life and hinders your ability to function normally. Depressive symptoms may require...
A patient with an anxiety disorder has uncontrollable worry, which can cause a racing heart, rapid breathing and chest pain. The severity and frequency of symptoms interfere in the patient's life and can make it difficult to function. Medications,...
When a patient is diagnosed with a disorder such as depression or anxiety, a physician may prescribe an antidepressant to relieve the symptoms. Like other medications, antidepressants carry side effects and warnings. Before starting the...
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,...
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) states that antidepressants, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (sertraline, fluoxetine and paroxetine) and norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs) (bupropion), may...
Antidepressants are known to cause weight gain: the Mayo Clinic notes that tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), three types of antidepressants, can result in weight...
