The Role of Serotonin Imbalance in Depression: Insights into Neurotransmitter Dysregulation
Serotonin Plays a Crucial Role in Depression
Quantify with our LC-MS/MS Neurotransmitter Kit
Depression is one of the most common mental disorders, affecting approximately 280 million people worldwide. Major depressive disorder, presents symptoms such as anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure), loss of interest in activities, sadness, depressed mood, and loss of energy. It can be triggered by genetic, epigenetic, environmental factors, and stress.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in mood, sleep and arousal, learning, and memory. Recent studies have yielded some results regarding depression, neurotransmitters, and especially serotonin. There are conclusions suggesting that depression is associated with neurotransmitter dysregulation and that serotonin plays a crucial role.
The idea that depression may be caused by serotonin imbalance was first proposed in 1954 by Edward D. Freis, based on his observations of patients treated with reserpine. Studies have revealed that reserpine has a direct effect on monoamines such as serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline.
In line with this, numerous genomic and epigenetic studies have been conducted on both rodents and humans. As a result, when we consider serotonin for diagnostic purposes, its dysregulation can lead to various disorders, including depression.
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You can learn the amount of Serotonin level with the Zivak Neurotransmitter Kit by LC-MS/MS.
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