What are the psychological effects of serotonin?

The state of population mental health is a global problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 300 million people in the world suffer from depression, while 260 million patients show some type of anxiety disorder.

One in four people will suffer from a mental disorder in their lifetime and, unfortunately, most patients in low-income countries will not have access to adequate treatment.

With these figures in hand, there is evidence of the need for research in the psychiatric and psychological field to treat emotional problems, but also in the biological one to understand the biochemical bases that promote (or provoke). Although it is difficult for us to recognize it as we are thinking beings, there is no doubt that humans are our chemistry and, therefore, Therefore, we are at the mercy of the metabolic pathways of our organism and of the genetic load that defines us as individuals.

Based on this premise, here we will focus on dissecting the nature of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is synthesized from tryptophan in animals and plants, intervening in a myriad of physiological and psychological processes.

• Related article: "Neuroendocrine system: parts, functions and characteristics"

Serotonin and the human body

Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a neurotransmitter found mainly in the intestinal tract and blood platelets (90% of the total), while the remaining 10% is synthesized in brain neurons. This neurotransmitter is of essential importance in human behavior, as it participates in processes such as daily behaviors, emotions and memory.

We are going to explore what this chemical does on an emotional level in patients in following lines, but first we see of interest to expose some organs / pathological processes that are seen affected by it.

1. Coagulation

Serotonin promotes coagulation when there is a wound, as platelets travel to the injury and release it into it. Being a neurotransmitter associated with nerve activation in general, serotonin promotes the release in the bloodstream of these types of cells to prevent problems caused by injuries when experimenting with the environment.

2. Vasoconstriction

The vasoconstriction that this neurotransmitter produces prevents the patient from bleeding.

In general, this reduction in the perimeter of the blood vessels occurs in those closest to the skin, as they are the ones most exposed to the risk of receiving injuries from external elements; This is an adaptation to survive in harsh environments.

2. Cardiac arrhythmias

5-HT increases calcium entry into myocytes, which in excess results in accelerated heart contractions. Tremors, nervousness and restlessness are other symptoms of excess serotonin, although other causes are involved in them, such as our reaction to the first symptoms.

3. Epilepsy

An excess of serotonin in the neuronal area is associated with seizures and, therefore, to epileptic diseases. However, this does not mean that serotonin is bad per se; It is a quantitative problem, because as we have seen, in the vast majority of cases this Neurotransmitter is not only a normal and natural element in our body, but it is also beneficial for us.

• You may be interested in: "Epilepsy: definition, causes, diagnosis and treatment"

4. Metabolic and endocrine processes

A prolonged high concentration of circulating serotonin reduces the mineral density of the bones, but in general this type of biological mechanism rarely gives rise to problems due to fragility that is.

The psychological effects of serotonin

With all these data, you will be able to verify that serotonin has multiple functions at the body level, some good in the short term and others that can turn negative if they remain over time. A serotonin deficit is associated with listless, sad, and discouraged people, while an excess is associated with nervousness, sweating, tremors, anxiety, and other events. How true is this?

The scientific article Understanding the role of serotonin in psychiatric diseases, published in the medical journal F1000 Research, helps us to understand the effects of serotonin at the individual psychological level in a reliable way. Before affirming that "serotonin is the compound of happiness", we must cement our knowledge with data.

First of all, it is necessary to emphasize that there is clear scientific evidence capable of linking serotonergic dysfunctions in various psychiatric pathologies. Some of them are the following: depression, anxiety disorders, problems with food, schizophrenia, autism and aggressive behaviors, among others. Let's explore some of these causalities.

1. Serotonin and depression

Low circulating serotonin levels have historically been associated with depression, but it is not entirely clear which comes first. Is depression caused by a lack of serotonin, or is a lack of serotonin caused by continued depression?

Beyond this debate, the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) has things to say regarding this correlation. In the review article What has serotonin to do with depression?, this professional organization casts doubt on the historical (and unfounded) absolute and stark relationship between depression and serotonin. Healthy people who are deprived of tryptophan in their diet (the precursor to serotonin) do not show depressive tendencies, so causality falls by its own weight.

Yes, there are cases in which the lack of serotonin or its functioning can promote depression in patients with certain specific traits, but this reality is neither necessary nor mandatory. To some extent, in the psychiatric setting, saying that a lack of serotonin causes depression is considered to be untrue.

• You may be interested in: "Major Depression: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment"

2. Serotonin and anxiety

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are drugs used to treat chronic anxiety, so it is clear that this neurotransmitter plays some role in its appearance.

In any case, we find a similar obstacle to the previous case: some studies with animal models give serotonin anxiolytic properties, while other arguments place it as anxious. This is not necessarily bad nor does it reflect lies, as it only reveals the complexity of the neurotransmitter at hand.

Studies like The serotonergic system and anxiety explore the clear roles of serotonin and its concentrations on circuit development serotonergic and anxiety responses in animal models, but there is still a long way to go travel.

3. Serotonin and schizophrenia

The hypotheses that link serotonin to schizophrenia point to its trophic role during development and the interactions that this neurotransmitter has with the dopaminergic system. For example, as indicated by the medical check-up The Neurobiological Basis of Schizophrenia, an increase in central serotonergic tone has been suggested in recent years in patients with schizophrenia.

It is postulated that these patients present a dopaminergic hypofunction in the prefrontal cortex due, in part, to the inhibitory action of excess serotonin at that specific level. For this reason, serotonin inhibitor drugs would improve their symptoms in these clinical patients.

Serotonin and its complexity are not easy to study

With all these lines we have seen that, in the world of science, not everything is what it seems. Serotonin is known as the "neurotransmitter of happiness", because its excessive release after the consumption of certain drugs or the experience of extremely pleasant events is associated with momentary joy and euphoria. This correlation is quite clear, but exploring the long-term effects of this neurotransmitter in patients with psychological disorders is an entirely different matter.

Even the most established base of all (less serotonin translates into depression) is questioned today by professional bodies, since this causality is not always fulfilled.

On the other hand, there is no reason to be alarmed at the idea that serotonin participates in the development of psychological and psychiatric disorders. Taking into account that this substance is one of the main neurotransmitters in the brain and that it is present in everything our Central Nervous System, the strange thing would be that it remained totally outside the emergence of these phenomena. That it participates more or less directly in psychopathologies does not imply that the presence of serotonin in our body is a problem.

Therefore, it is recommended that you maintain critical thinking and always look for professional sources. when it comes to informing you about the effects that different hormones and compounds have on your Body. Not everything is as clear as it seems and, in many cases, miraculous properties are attributed to certain chemicals to make a profit. In the human organism, complexity and multifunctionality prevail over any irrefutable formula.