Mental illness norepinephrine

Mental illness is still viewed by most physicians as a medical illness, evidenced by the fact that drugs are widely used to treat patients suffering from schizophrenia, depression, mania, and anxiety. These medications often affect the levels of the amine neurotransmitters, norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. 

Neurotransmitters are not only chemical messengers for the nervous system, they may also be partly responsible for our moods. A simplified biochemical theory of mental illness is based on two amines found in the brain. The first is norepinephrine (NE). When an excess of norepinephrine is formed in the brain, the result is a feeUng of elation. Extreme excesses of NE can even induce a maific state, while low NE levels may be a cause of depression. 

The second amine often associated with the biochemical theory of mental illness is serotonin. Like norepinephrine, it also functions as a neurohansmitter. Serotonin is produced in the body from the amino acid tryptophan ... 

The field of psychiatry is predicated on the assumpt-tion that serious mental disorders result from abnormalities in the structure or function of the brain. Although no specific brain anomalies have been identified as the definitive cause of mental illness, the latest neuroscientific studies suggest that imbalances in neurochemicals—also called neurotransmitters— or malfunctions in their transportation from nerve cell to nerve cell might be responsible for the symptoms of mental illness, such as anxiety, depression, hallucinations, and delusions. Neurotransmitters include dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and gamma-amino-butyric acid. Most experts believe that the causes of mental illness stem from a combination of genes (nature) and experiences (nurture). 

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