Serotonin has consistently played a large role in mental illness [1] [2] [3]. However, the role that serotonin plays has been disputed, and research has shown that both excessive levels and deficient levels can contribute to onset of mental illness [4] [5].
The severity of certain disorders such as Generalized Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder is also directly related to Serotonin status and levels in healthy individuals and Physically ill individuals [6] [7] [8] [9].
Personality traits are also influenced by serotonin levels, and increased serotonin tends to lead to callousness in individuals with Antisocial personality disorder.
The severity of certain disorders such as Generalized Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder is also directly related to Serotonin status and levels in healthy individuals and Physically ill individuals [6] [7] [8] [9].
Personality traits are also influenced by serotonin levels, and increased serotonin tends to lead to callousness in individuals with Antisocial personality disorder.
CONDITIONS THAT ARE RELATED TO ELEVATED SEROTONIN LEVELS INCLUDE...
Elevated = Moderately High
Elevated = Moderately High
- Social Anxiety (Social Phobia) [10] [11]
- Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder [12] [13] [14]
- Schizophrenia [15] [16]
- Pathological Dissociation [17] [18] [19]
- Anorexia-Nervosa and Undereating [20] [21] [22] [23].
DISPUTE : Why are SSRI's used to treat OCD/Anxiety then?
ANSWER : Simply because, researchers haven't really discovered all of the actions of SSRI's until now, and ''therapeutic response'' often correlates with SSRI-induced downregulation of serotonin receptors and often, to increases in allopregnenolone levels which then enhance endogenous (naturally produced) GABA levels.
Downregulation means that the receptors have decreased in number within one or more regions of the brain.
Therefore, and due to Selective-Serotonin-Reuptake-Inhibitor (SSRI) induced desensitization of other receptors, besides the ones it downregulates, the net (total, summed) effect of SSRI's is actually a long-term anti-serotonin effect on multiple brain regions and an effective 'redirection' or redistribution of the serotonin levels that remain enhanced.
|SOURCES|
Antidepressant Treatment Reduces Serotonin-1A Autoreceptor Binding in Major Depressive Disorder
Effect of chronic administration of selective 5-hydroxytryptamine and noradrenaline uptake inhibitors on a putative index of 5-HT 2C/2B receptor function
Effect of long-term administration of antidepressant treatments on serotonin release in brain regions involved in obsessive-compulsive disorder.
5-HT1B Receptors and More General Insights into Serotonin Role in Mental Disorders
Additionally, 5-HT1B (Serotonin-Receptor 1B) function is increased in obsessive-compulsive disorder and decreased in Cocaine-dependence [24] [25].
This outlines the viability of receptor research in understanding and treating these disorders.
Being that 5-HT(1)B receptors and their function correlate to Serotonin Transporter (SERT) activity [26] [27] [28], and SERT essentially recycles our brains serotonin [29] [30] and removes it from activity, it would make sense that this key receptor would be heavily involved with the pathophysiology of these various mental disorders [31] [32].
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4436296/
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.542.3432&rep=rep1&type=pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4418507/
http://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/45595397/539.full.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ56TQJRTWSMTNPEA&Expires=1480478273&Signature=0f%2F%2Fl76cv958MP97kKROD858NpU%3D&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3DFunctional_Interactions_between_5-Hydrox.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4576414/
5-HT1B Receptors and More General Insights into Serotonin Role in Mental Disorders
Additionally, 5-HT1B (Serotonin-Receptor 1B) function is increased in obsessive-compulsive disorder and decreased in Cocaine-dependence [24] [25].
This outlines the viability of receptor research in understanding and treating these disorders.
Being that 5-HT(1)B receptors and their function correlate to Serotonin Transporter (SERT) activity [26] [27] [28], and SERT essentially recycles our brains serotonin [29] [30] and removes it from activity, it would make sense that this key receptor would be heavily involved with the pathophysiology of these various mental disorders [31] [32].
- Updated overview of the putative role of the serotoninergic system in obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Clinically effective OCD treatment prevents 5-HT1B receptor-induced repetitive behavior and striatal activation.
- Association between the 5HT1B receptor gene (HTR1B) and the inattentive subtype of ADHD.
- The serotonin 5-HT1B receptor gene and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
- Brain Serotonin Transporter Binding Potential Measured With Carbon11–Labeled DASB Positron Emission Tomography Effects of Major Depressive Episodes and Severity of Dysfunctional Attitudes
Serotonin Transporters are altered in lovers, as Romantic love has shown to produce dramatic reductions in Serotonin Transporters.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4436296/
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.542.3432&rep=rep1&type=pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4418507/
http://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/45595397/539.full.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ56TQJRTWSMTNPEA&Expires=1480478273&Signature=0f%2F%2Fl76cv958MP97kKROD858NpU%3D&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3DFunctional_Interactions_between_5-Hydrox.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4576414/
