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...
Your brain uses chemicals called neurotransmitters to send messages across brain cells. One such neurotransmitter is called dopamine. Only about 0.3% of the cells in your brain use dopamine; however, it plays a vital role in many body functions...
The human brain weighs between 1.3 and 1.4 kilograms and has 100 billion neurons, which are the cells in the brain that transmit electrical signals. But neurons are not the only cells found in the brain. The other groups of cells, the glial cells,...
Researchers aren't entirely sure what causes Asperger's syndrome, a developmental disorder that causes social and communication deficits. However, scientists believe that a combination of genetics and malfunctions in the brain's communication...
For some anxiety sufferers, the condition impairs their lives. If anxiety-reducing techniques have not helped reduce your level of anxiety, medication may be the answer. Each type of anxiety medication interacts with different neurotransmitters,...
Several classes of drugs are used as medicine for depression. These drugs are often referred to as antidepressants. Depression is the most common mood disorder that is treated with antidepressants, although they may also be used to treat anxiety,...
Serotonin is a chemical substance also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine that is derived from the amino acid tryptophan, notes Encyclopedia Britannica. It is a vasoconstrictor, which means it aids in the narrowing of blood vessels. It also functions as...
Minor depression is a lesser form of depression, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). People with minor depression have two to four depression symptoms, compared to five or more symptoms in major depression, which last for at...
Small amounts of anxiety are normal in a child; however, when the levels of anxiety become distressing, treatment may be needed. Medication is an option for children, but parents should be cautious before giving pharmaceuticals to a child. The...
Yohimbe has been used in West Africa for centuries as an aphrodisiac and treatment for sexual dysfunction. The bark of this tall evergreen tree contains over 30 different alkaloids, some of which are sedatives or tranquilizers, and others that...
Caffeine is a commonly consumed substance used to stimulate the central nervous system. A dose of caffeine alters neurotransmitter signaling to increase alertness and boost energy. Most people can drink 2 to 4 cups per day of coffee without...
Glaucoma is a condition in which retinal cells die off progressively in a characteristic pattern from pressure buildup in the eyeball, resulting in vision loss and sometimes blindness. However, different people experience vision loss at different...
Dopamine, a chemical signaler of the brain, has important roles in the control of learning and attention and is also involved with motor functioning, or movement. When substances interfere, the amount of dopamine present in the brain is altered...
Attention deficit disorder, or ADD, is also referred to as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. It is a disorder of certain mechanisms of the central nervous system, which affects a person's ability to concentrate and focus....
Seizures are chemical or physical changes that occur due to abnormal electrical activity in the brain. It may be temporary due to high fever, abnormal blood sodium or glucose levels, or certain medications. Brain injury, tumors and family history...
Medication is often used to manage the symptoms of an anxiety disorder. Antidepressants, anxiolytics (anti-anxiety) and beta blocker medications are given most often, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). However, according...
Pausinystalia yohimbe is a large, African evergreen tree. Its bark has been used as an aphrodesiac for centuries. The bark is rich in alkaloids, many of which are pharmacologically active. Amongst them, yohimbine is the most potent, and has been...
According to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," dopamine is an essential neurotransmitter found in the substantia nigra of the midbrain. As a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, or CNS, it is produced in presynaptic neurons...
The National Institutes of Health defines narcolepsy as a chronic central nervous system disorder that affects your brain’s ability to manage natural sleep-wake cycles. While occasional fatigue or drowsiness is common, those with narcolepsy...
Concerta is an FDA-approved prescription medication for the treatment of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, for both adults and children. It is not intended to be used for weight loss. However, upper abdominal pain in...
Pausinystalia yohimbe is a tall, West African evergreen tree that has been used to treat erectile dysfunction for centuries. The bark of the plant contains a wide variety of alkaloids, some of which act as psychostimulants and others as sedatives....
Addiction is a multifactorial disorder that involves a disruption of normal social, behavioral and physiologic processes. Although definitions vary, most experts agree that "addiction" implies a risk of harm to the addicted individual and a need...
In West Africa, the bark of the tall, evergreen Pausinystalia yohimbe tree has been used as an aphrodisiac and treatment for sexual dysfunction for generations. The bark contains over 30 pharmacologically active chemicals known as alkaloids, the...
Yohimbe is a traditional West African aphrodisiac and treatment for sexual debility. While the bark has been used for centuries, it was not until 1938 that the alkaloid yohimbine HCl was isolated as its primary pharmacologically active...
The bark of Pausinystalia yohimbe, a tall evergreen tree found in West Africa, has a long history of use as an aphrodisiac and as a treatment for erectile dysfunction. It contains more than 30 alkaloids, many of which are pharmacologically...
Many generations of people in West Africa have employed the bark of the Pausinystalia yohimbe tree as an aphrodesiac and treatment for male sexual dysfunction. While yohimbine HCl, a compound isolated from the bark, has been used as a drug to...
The relationship between mental illness and nutrition is complex and not well understood. Mental disorders involve biological, psychological and environmental factors. Biological aspects include genetics, medical issues and nutrition....
The gastrointestinal tract is the only system in your body that will continue to demonstrate neuronal activity and reflexes after being isolated from the central nervous system. This is possible because the gut is hardwired with its own network of...
Used for centuries in West Africa as an aphrodisiac, the bark of the tall evergreen tree Pausinystalia yohimbe is rich in pharmacologically active compounds. One of the compounds, the alkaloid yohimbine, was approved as a drug for the treatment of...
