Neurotransmitters:Serotonin and Norepinephrine

Full Answer Section

• otential Side Effects:
  • Nausea, headache, dizziness, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, weight gain, and anxiety.

2. Dopamine

• Pharmacologic Action: Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, reward, motivation, and movement. It plays a crucial role in the brain's reward system.
• Drug Class:
  • Dopamine agonists: These drugs mimic the effects of dopamine by stimulating dopamine receptors. They are used to treat Parkinson's disease, restless legs syndrome, and prolactinomas.
  • Dopamine antagonists: These drugs block dopamine receptors and are used to treat psychosis and schizophrenia.
• Expected Outcomes:
  • Improved movement: Dopamine agonists can alleviate motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as tremors, rigidity, and slow movement.
  • Reduced psychosis: Dopamine antagonists can help to reduce hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking in individuals with schizophrenia.
• Potential Side Effects:
  • Dopamine agonists: Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, hallucinations, compulsive behaviors.
  • Dopamine antagonists: Movement disorders (e.g., Parkinsonism), drowsiness, sedation, cognitive impairment.

Conditions:

• Serotonin: Depression, anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder), obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress ¹ disorder (PTSD).  
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• Dopamine: Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, restless legs syndrome, prolactinomas.

Sample Answer

This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional.

1. Serotonin

• Pharmacologic Action: Serotonin primarily acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, influencing mood, sleep, appetite, and learning. It works by binding to various serotonin receptors throughout the brain and body.
• Drug Class:
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): These drugs, such as fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), and escitalopram (Lexapro), are the most common class of drugs that target serotonin. They work by blocking the reuptake of serotonin in the brain, increasing its availability.
  • Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs): These drugs, like venlafaxine (Effexor) and duloxetine (Cymbalta), inhibit the reuptake of both serotonin and norepinephrine.
• Expected Outcomes:
  • Improved mood: SSRIs are widely used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
  • Reduced anxiety: SSRIs can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety, such as excessive worry, restlessness, and panic attacks.
  • Improved sleep quality: Serotonin plays a role in regulating sleep-wake cycles.