In addition to depression, serotonin may play a role in other brain and mental health disorders, including anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), phobias, and even epilepsy.
The idea that depression is the result of abnormalities in brain chemicals, particularly serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT), has been influential for decades, and provides an important justification for the use of antidepressants.
Patients who have serotonin toxicity are likely to present with 1 or more symptoms of a triad of neuromuscular, autonomic and mental status changes (Table 1). Mild symptoms include nervousness, insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, tremor and dilated pupils.
Serotonin Syndrome Symptoms
Gastrointestinal symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting. Nervous system symptoms include overactive reflexes and muscle spasms, said Su. Other serotonin syndrome symptoms include high body temperature, sweating, shivering, clumsiness, tremors, and confusion and other mental changes.
Serotonin syndrome occurs when someone has an excess of the neurotransmitter serotonin in their nervous system. The condition's symptoms generally fall into three categories: Altered mental status (irritability, agitation, restlessness, and anxiety)
Disrupted serotonin neurotransmission has been implicated in the etiology of psychopathic traits. Empirical research has found that people with high levels of psychopathic traits have a deficit in reinforcement learning that is thought to be linked with amygdala dysfunction.
Serotonin syndrome can cause mild symptoms (like diarrhea or nausea) to severe symptoms (like high fever or seizures). In some cases, severe serotonin syndrome can be fatal if not recognized and treated quickly.
Serotonin syndrome is diagnosed clinically and requires a thorough review of medications and a careful physical exam. Symptoms tend to develop rapidly after exposure to the precipitating drug: 30% within one hour, 60% within 6 hours, and nearly all patients with toxicity developing symptoms within 24 hours of exposure.
Mild serotonin syndrome may cause subtle symptoms, such as mild tremors, restlessness, or headaches. Signs of severe serotonin syndrome include rigid muscles, seizures, fever, and nausea or vomiting.
Moderate quality evidence suggests increases in serotonin receptors (5-TH1R) in the hippocampus, parahippcampus, and amygdala of people with acute bipolar depression compared to controls. There were also increases in serotonin transporters (SERT) in the cingulate and insula of people with acute bipolar depression.
Researchers have linked low levels of serotonin with mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety.
Certain drugs and substances such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, NutraSweet, antidepressants, and some cholesterol-lowering medications deplete serotonin and other neurotransmitter levels. Hormone changes cause low levels of serotonin and neurotransmitter imbalances.
What Does Serotonin Do? Serotonin is a crucial chemical for increasing mood and decreasing anxiety. Researchers have found a clear connection between low serotonin levels and increases in depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges.
However, experts have linked low serotonin activity with a range of psychiatric problems, including depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
If you don't have enough serotonin, you are more likely to develop depression and anxiety. You need the right amount of serotonin to feel happy, calm and emotionally stable. The symptoms of low serotonin levels include: memory problems.
No single test can confirm a serotonin syndrome diagnosis. Your doctor will diagnose the condition by ruling out other possibilities. Your doctor will likely begin by asking about your symptoms, medical history and any medications you're taking. Your doctor will also conduct a physical examination.
Serotonin syndrome may not be obvious to recognize, presenting the opportunity for rapid progression and severe complications. Additionally, it can be difficult to predict which patients are at risk for developing serotonin syndrome.
However, severe serotonin syndrome can be life-threatening and if you experience any of the symptoms below you should seek emergency treatment immediately: Irregular heartbeat. High fever (>103 F/40 C) Seizures.
They are risk-takers and seek novelty. People who have high serotonin activity (or who take SSRI antidepressants) are more sociable, more eager to belong. They're quite traditional in their values and less inclined toward exploration.
Serotonin also promotes the release of oxytocin and vasopressin (57), neuropeptides strongly implicated in empathy and prosocial behavior (58).
[2] propose that the underlying source of emotional deficits observed in psychopathy are a result of an imbalance of the hormones cortisol and testosterone. Cortisol is a glutocorticorticoid hormone that is released upon activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
Conclusions: It is concluded that the occurrence of a potentially lethal serotonin syndrome is rare in fluvoxamine treatment psychosis-like syndromes as a side effect of serotonergic stimulation might occur. In the investigated sample the rate was 0.006-0.04 per 100 treatment days.
On the transmitter level, aggression has frequently been associated with alterations of serotonergic neural activity (Duke et al., 2013). Pharmacological serotonin challenges have been reported to influence both PFC-amygdala connectivity and aggressive feelings (Klasen et al., 2013).
Another model, called irritable aggression, says that impaired functioning of serotonin-secreting nerve cells produces greater irritability and a higher level of reactivity to triggers and situations.