Serotonin is a hormone that is found naturally in the human brain; it is also found in the digestive tract and platelets of some animals, including human beings. It is also found in a variety of plant sources, including vegetables, fruits, and even mushrooms. Categorized as a neurotransmitter, it is important in transmitting nerve impulses. It is also described as a vasoconstrictor, which is a substance that can cause narrowing of the blood vessels. The amino acid tryptophan is credited with producing serotonin in the body.
Serotonin can be considered a "happy" hormone, as it greatly influences an overall sense of well-being. It also helps to regulate moods, temper anxiety, and relieve depression. It is also credited with being a natural sleep aid. It even plays an important role in regulating such things as aggression, appetite, and sexuality. It also helps with regulating body temperature and metabolism and plays a role in the stimulation of vomiting.
Since serotonin is so important in regulating moods and feelings of well-being, it is often targeted in drugs that are used to affect the mood, such as antidepressants. A class of medications called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as Marplan and Nardil, works to prevent the breaking down of neurotransmitters, allowing them to increase in the brain and relieve depression. Unfortunately, these drugs have many serious side effects, and they tend to react dangerously with some other types of medication.
Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Celexa, Zoloft, Lexapro, and Prozac, are also used to fight depression, yet they have fewer side effects, and they tend to react better than other medications. Not all antidepressants work to increase serotonin in the brain, however. Some, like tricyclic antidepressants, such as Elavil, actually work against neurotransmitter reuptake.
Showing posts with label anxiety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anxiety. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
A link between food and serotonin?
Just what is the link between food and serotonin, and can a change in your diet make a difference?
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, which has gotten a lot of attention in the last few years. The reason is that low serotonin levels have been linked to depression, lack of concentration, obesity, sleeplessness, and, of course, migraine.
But the food and serotonin link is more complicated than just eating foods containing serotonin. Your body doesn't get serotonin from foods, but makes serotonin from tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid which is essential for the body to get. It is the precursor to more than one neurotransmitter.
You may be able to increase levels of tryptophan by eating foods like breads, pastas, candy ... but wait! That's no good. It may temporarily help if you're depressed (or it may not!), but it's not going to really help anything in the long run.
Is there another way?
Yes, there are a couple other ways. You can find the food and serotonin link in items that are somewhat healthier. Try turkey, black eyed-peas, black and English walnuts, almonds, sesame or pumpkin seeds, and cheddar, gruyere or swiss cheese. Also helping to a lesser extent are whole grains, rice, and other dairy products (grandma was right – drink a glass of warm milk before bed!).
Examples of food with tryptophan:
wheat germ - 0.4g/1cup
granola - 0.2g/1cup
cottage cheese - 0.4g/1cup
egg - 0.1g/1
duck - 0.4g/quarter lb
turkey - 0.37g/quarter cup
chicken - 0.28g/quarter cup
* list from The Healing Nutrients Within by Dr Eric R Braverman.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, which has gotten a lot of attention in the last few years. The reason is that low serotonin levels have been linked to depression, lack of concentration, obesity, sleeplessness, and, of course, migraine.
But the food and serotonin link is more complicated than just eating foods containing serotonin. Your body doesn't get serotonin from foods, but makes serotonin from tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid which is essential for the body to get. It is the precursor to more than one neurotransmitter.
You may be able to increase levels of tryptophan by eating foods like breads, pastas, candy ... but wait! That's no good. It may temporarily help if you're depressed (or it may not!), but it's not going to really help anything in the long run.
Is there another way?
Yes, there are a couple other ways. You can find the food and serotonin link in items that are somewhat healthier. Try turkey, black eyed-peas, black and English walnuts, almonds, sesame or pumpkin seeds, and cheddar, gruyere or swiss cheese. Also helping to a lesser extent are whole grains, rice, and other dairy products (grandma was right – drink a glass of warm milk before bed!).
Examples of food with tryptophan:
wheat germ - 0.4g/1cup
granola - 0.2g/1cup
cottage cheese - 0.4g/1cup
egg - 0.1g/1
duck - 0.4g/quarter lb
turkey - 0.37g/quarter cup
chicken - 0.28g/quarter cup
* list from The Healing Nutrients Within by Dr Eric R Braverman.
Gene Variants in Adolescent Anxiety and Major Depressive Disorder
Anxious and Depressed Teens and Adults: Same Version of Mood Gene, Different Brain Reactions
An NIMH study using brain imaging shows that some anxious and depressed adolescents react differently from adult patients when looking at frightful faces. This difference occurs even though the adolescent and adult patients have the same version of a mood gene. Researchers in the NIMH Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program and colleagues reported these findings online October 31, 2008, in the journal Biological Psychiatry.
Background
Anxiety and depression are influenced by the processing of the mood-regulating brain chemical called serotonin. A protein known as the serotonin transporter directs serotonin from the space between nerve cells back into the cells, where it can be reused. Changes in the gene that codes for the serotonin transporter can lead to decreased transport of serotonin back into the brain’s nerve cells. Abnormalities in the serotonin system are associated with anxiety and depression.
Everyone inherits two copies of the serotonin transporter gene—one from each parent. The gene has various versions—one version is short, and one version is long. A person may have two copies of the same version or one copy each of two different versions. Previous studies in adults have linked versions of the gene to increased risk for mood and anxiety disorders. Adults who have one copy of the short version tend to be more anxious and depressed than adults who have two copies of the long version.
Previous brain imaging studies in adults linked gene versions to different responses of the brain’s fear hub—the amygdala—to frightful faces. In both healthy and affected adults who have at least one copy of the short version, the amygdala reacts more than it does in healthy or affected adults who have two copies of the long version of the gene. Whether these findings in adults also hold true for adolescents was unknown.
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Jennifer Y. F. Lau, Ph.D., then at NIMH and now at the University of Oxford, U.K., and colleagues at NIH scanned the brains of 33 healthy teens and 31 teens with depression and anxiety disorders while they viewed pictures of frightful faces. Then the investigators compared the amygdala reactions in the two groups.
Findings of This Study
Lau and colleagues found that in healthy adolescents who have at least one copy of the short version of the gene, the amygdala reacts more than it does in healthy adolescents who have two copies of the long version. This result is the same in healthy adults. However, in anxious or depressed adolescents, the opposite results were found. In affected adolescents who have at least one copy of the short version, the amygdala reacts less than it does in affected adolescents who have two copies of the long version.
Significance
This finding in affected teens with two long version genes is the opposite of that observed in anxious or depressed adults. It is surprising because anxiety and depression during adolescence tend to predict these disorders during adulthood.
What’s Next?
The unexpected finding may be explained by the fact that anxious adults and anxious adolescents react differently when presented with threats. But further research is needed to fully understand the difference, the investigators say.
Reference
Lau JY, Goldman D, Buzas B, Fromm SJ, Guyer AE, Hodgkinson C, Monk CS, Nelson EE, Shen PH, Pine DS, Ernst M. Amygdala Function and 5-HTT Gene Variants in Adolescent Anxiety and Major Depressive Disorder. Biological Psychiatry. 2008 Oct 23. Source: Medline
An NIMH study using brain imaging shows that some anxious and depressed adolescents react differently from adult patients when looking at frightful faces. This difference occurs even though the adolescent and adult patients have the same version of a mood gene. Researchers in the NIMH Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program and colleagues reported these findings online October 31, 2008, in the journal Biological Psychiatry.
Background
Anxiety and depression are influenced by the processing of the mood-regulating brain chemical called serotonin. A protein known as the serotonin transporter directs serotonin from the space between nerve cells back into the cells, where it can be reused. Changes in the gene that codes for the serotonin transporter can lead to decreased transport of serotonin back into the brain’s nerve cells. Abnormalities in the serotonin system are associated with anxiety and depression.
Everyone inherits two copies of the serotonin transporter gene—one from each parent. The gene has various versions—one version is short, and one version is long. A person may have two copies of the same version or one copy each of two different versions. Previous studies in adults have linked versions of the gene to increased risk for mood and anxiety disorders. Adults who have one copy of the short version tend to be more anxious and depressed than adults who have two copies of the long version.
Previous brain imaging studies in adults linked gene versions to different responses of the brain’s fear hub—the amygdala—to frightful faces. In both healthy and affected adults who have at least one copy of the short version, the amygdala reacts more than it does in healthy or affected adults who have two copies of the long version of the gene. Whether these findings in adults also hold true for adolescents was unknown.
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Jennifer Y. F. Lau, Ph.D., then at NIMH and now at the University of Oxford, U.K., and colleagues at NIH scanned the brains of 33 healthy teens and 31 teens with depression and anxiety disorders while they viewed pictures of frightful faces. Then the investigators compared the amygdala reactions in the two groups.
Findings of This Study
Lau and colleagues found that in healthy adolescents who have at least one copy of the short version of the gene, the amygdala reacts more than it does in healthy adolescents who have two copies of the long version. This result is the same in healthy adults. However, in anxious or depressed adolescents, the opposite results were found. In affected adolescents who have at least one copy of the short version, the amygdala reacts less than it does in affected adolescents who have two copies of the long version.
Significance
This finding in affected teens with two long version genes is the opposite of that observed in anxious or depressed adults. It is surprising because anxiety and depression during adolescence tend to predict these disorders during adulthood.
What’s Next?
The unexpected finding may be explained by the fact that anxious adults and anxious adolescents react differently when presented with threats. But further research is needed to fully understand the difference, the investigators say.
Reference
Lau JY, Goldman D, Buzas B, Fromm SJ, Guyer AE, Hodgkinson C, Monk CS, Nelson EE, Shen PH, Pine DS, Ernst M. Amygdala Function and 5-HTT Gene Variants in Adolescent Anxiety and Major Depressive Disorder. Biological Psychiatry. 2008 Oct 23. Source: Medline
Thursday, July 31, 2008
The Family Coach Workshop: Managing Anger and Anxiety in Children
Saturday August 16, 2008 9-10:15 am
Saturday October 4, 2008 9-10:15 am
Research suggests children experience frustration, anger, and anxiety from ages 3-12 with more frequency than in the past. Why might that be so and what can families do to help children feel calm and secure. We’ll earn about cavemen and thinkers then develop cognitive and sensory interventions to bring home with The Family Coach Dr. Lynne Kenney. Cost: $50.00 per couple, 30 participant limit. Sign-up at 480-860-8488 x 9 x 1. North Office.
a. The biology of anger and anxiety
b. Using our thinkers to manage our cavemen
c. How exercise and nutrition make a difference
d. Cognitive strategies for calmer kids
e. Sensory tools and equipment
e. Preparation, planning and prevention in your home
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