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.
One in 4 people will suffer from a mental disorder in their lifetime and, unfortunately, the majority of patients in low-income countries will not have access to adequate treatment.
With these figures in hand, The need to investigate in the psychiatric and psychological field to treat emotional problems is evident, but also in the biological field to understand the biochemical bases that promote them (or provoke). Although it is difficult for us to recognize it as thinking beings, there is no doubt that humans are our chemistry and, therefore, we are at the mercy of the metabolic pathways of our organism and 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 an infinite number of physiological and psychological processes.
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 day-to-day behaviors, emotions and memory.
We are going to explore what this chemical substance does on an emotional level in patients in the following lines, but first it is of interest to expose some organs/pathological processes that are affected by it.
1. Coagulation
serotonin promotes coagulation when there is a wound, as platelets travel to the injury and release them into it Being a neurotransmitter associated with nerve activation in general, serotonin promotes the release of this type of cells into the bloodstream to prevent problems caused by injuries when experimenting with the environment.
The vasoconstriction that this neurotransmitter produces prevents the patient from bleeding.
Generally, 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 wounds from external elements; this is an adaptation to survive in hostile environments.
2. Cardiac arrhythmias
5-HT increases calcium entry into myocytes, which in excess results in accelerated contractions of the heart Tremors, nervousness and restlessness are other symptoms of excess serotonin, although other causes are involved, 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 itself is bad; This 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.
4. Metabolic and endocrine processes
A prolonged high concentration of circulating serotonin reduces bone mineral density, but in general this type of biological mechanism rarely leads to problems with bone fragility.
The psychological effects of serotonin
With all this 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 become negative if they remain over time. A serotonin deficiency is associated with apathetic, sad and discouraged people, while an excess is linked to 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 understand the effects of serotonin at an individual psychological level in a reliable way. Before stating that “serotonin is the compound of happiness,” we must cement our knowledge with data.
First of all, it is necessary to highlight that There is clear scientific evidence capable of linking serotonergic dysfunctions to various psychiatric pathologies Some of them are the following: depression, anxiety disorders, eating problems, schizophrenia, autism and aggressive behaviors, among others. Let’s explore some of these causalities.
Low levels of circulating serotonin have historically been associated with depression, but it’s not entirely clear which comes first Is depression caused by a lack of serotonin, or does a lack of serotonin occur due to a continued depressive state?
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 questions the historical (and poorly founded) absolute and clear 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 itself.
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 field, saying that a lack of serotonin causes depression is considered untrue.
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 an obstacle similar to the previous case: some studies with animal models give serotonin anxiolytic properties, while other arguments place it as anxiogenic. This is not necessarily bad nor does it reflect lies, as it only highlights the complexity of the neurotransmitter we have in our hands.
Studies like The serotonergic system and anxiety explore the clear roles of serotonin and its concentrations on the development of serotonergic circuits and anxiety responses in animal models, but there is still a long way to go.
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 examination The Neurobiological Basis of Schizophrenia, In recent years, an increase in central serotonergic tone has been suggested in patients with schizophrenia
It is postulated that these patients have 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 as it seems. Serotonin is known as the “happiness neurotransmitter”, 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 a completely different question.
Even the most established basis of all (less serotonin translates into depression) is questioned today by professional organizations, since this causality is not always fulfilled.
On the other hand, there is no reason to be alarmed by 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 of the brain and that it is present throughout our Central Nervous System, it would be strange if it remained completely outside the emergence of these phenomena. The fact 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 take precedence over any irrefutable formula.
