The Chemistry of Depression

Norepinephrine is both a neurotransmitter and a hormone. It plays a role in the "fight or flight response" along with adrenaline. It helps send messages from one nerve cell to the next.

Changes in norepinephrine levels do not affect mood in every person. Researchers now understand that hav...

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the brain. The nerve cells of the brain use neurotransmitters to communicate with each other. The messages they send are believed to play a role in mood regulation.

The three neurotransmitters implicated in depression are:

• Dopamine

Research has indicated several potential causes for the low levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine:

• Molecules that help make neurotransmitters are in short supply
• Not enough receptor sites to receive the neurotransmitter
• Presynaptic cells are taking the ne...

While psychotherapy is helpful for some people with depression, if there is a chemical imbalance in the brain, it may not be enough to address their symptoms. Antidepressants combined with psychotherapy proves especially effective for addressing the symptoms.

While taking an anti...

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that creates positive feelings associated with reward or reinforcement that motivate us to continue with a task or activity. There is evidence that reduced dopamine levels can contribute to depression in some people.

Dopamine is believed to play an important ...