Our moods are based on a number of different things. It could be as simple as the weather. It can be difficult to feel happy on a gloomy day, for instance. Or it could be as complex as whatever we have going on in our lives, from starting a new job to falling in love.
Of course, you know that your thoughts can affect your feelings. But you might not realize the important role that brain chemistry plays in your mood, says Philip Muskin, MD. He’s a professor of psychiatry at Columbia University in New York City.
Inside the brain are roughly 100 brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. They act like chemical messengers. They take in information. Then they send that info to other cells so that you can move, see and process thoughts and feelings. Here’s a look at a few of the major brain chemicals that influence mood and health.
Recommended reading: Getting sunlight in winter.
Serotonin
What it is: Scientists call serotonin one of the “feel-good” hormones. But it has a bigger job than just making you happy. It also plays an important role in your ability to learn, remember and plan, says James Giordano, PhD. He’s a professor in the departments of neurology and biochemistry at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Serotonin affects your appetite and sex drive. Your digestive tract produces most of the serotonin in your body. Only 10% of it is found in the brain.
How serotonin influences your health: How much serotonin you have in your body matters. If the level is too low, you have a greater chance of developing depression and anxiety.
Medications that may help:
These antidepressants are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The goal is to raise the brain’s serotonin level, Dr. Muskin explains. SSRIs work by blocking the re-absorption of serotonin. That allows more of it to stay in your brain, he notes.
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Dopamine
What it is: You know that rush you get from sex or shopping? That’s your brain on dopamine, another one of the feel-good hormones. Dopamine fires up the brain’s reward system. It’s one of the reasons that junk food is hard to put down. For example, eating potato chips triggers a large dump of dopamine in your brain. You keep eating them to re-create that feeling.
Dopamine also helps us focus our attention and learn. It may explain why some people with depression have trouble staying focused. Their dopamine levels may be too low.
How dopamine influences your health: There are several diseases connected to low levels of dopamine. Those include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Parkinson’s disease and restless legs syndrome. But dopamine levels that are too high can also cause problems such as mania, addiction and overeating. And levels that are both too high and too low can bring on symptoms of schizophrenia.
Medications that may help:
- Pramipexole (Mirapex®)
- Ropinirole (Requip®)
- Rotigotine (Neupro®)
These medications are called dopamine agonists. Doctors use them for Parkinson’s disease, depression, bipolar disorder, restless legs syndrome, ADHD and low sex drive. They activate dopamine receptors in your brain cells. This bumps up the amount of the chemical in the body.
The above medications are called dopamine antagonists. They stop dopamine from being received by the next nerve cell. They are used for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, nausea and vomiting.
- Bupropion (Wellbutrin®)
- Modafinil (Provigil®)
These medications are called dopamine reuptake inhibitors. They prevent dopamine from being re-absorbed by the brain cells that released it. The result? Your dopamine levels are higher. These medications are used for conditions such as depression and excess sleepiness caused by sleep apnea or shift work.
