Serotonin influences mood, sleep and appetite; SSRIs raise its levels at synapses.
Produced mainly in the raphe nuclei and gut. Roles in mood, sleep, appetite and pain. Antidepressants such as SSRIs increase synaptic serotonin, but their effect takes weeks, suggesting adaptations.
Serotonin has at least 14 receptor types. It also regulates gut motility. Low serotonin is not a simple cause of depression.
Common mistake: depression is not just a 'chemical imbalance'.
Serotonin influences mood, sleep and appetite; SSRIs raise its levels at synapses.
Serotonin and Mood is one of the 54 topics in Neuroscience. It is rated Intermediate, so it suits learners who already know the core vocabulary. Related topics in this area include Synaptic Transmission, Synaptic Plasticity, Neurotransmitters.
MDMA releases serotonin massively.
Work through the Beginner topics in Neuroscience first, such as Nervous System, Neuron, Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems, then return to Serotonin and Mood. Intermediate topics assume the Beginner vocabulary.
The closest topics to Serotonin and Mood are Synaptic Transmission, Synaptic Plasticity, Neurotransmitters, Neuropharmacology. Comparing them side by side is a good way to see how the ideas connect.
Read the summary and the in-depth section, then use the quick check on the interactive lesson for Serotonin and Mood. To practise the whole of Neuroscience, use the Neuroscience quiz.
Serotonin and Mood: Serotonin influences mood, sleep and appetite; SSRIs raise its levels at synapses. Synaptic Transmission: An action potential triggers calcium entry, vesicle release of transmitter and receptor binding on the postsynaptic cell. Read both side by side and note what each one explains.
Depression is not just a 'chemical imbalance'.
First, read the summary and write the definition in your own words. Second, read the in-depth section and note any example. Third, compare it with Synaptic Transmission and explain the difference aloud. Finally, take the Neuroscience quiz and come back to this page for any question you miss.
An action potential triggers calcium entry, vesicle release of transmitter and receptor binding on the postsynaptic cell.
🧠 NeuroscienceThe ability of synapses to strengthen or weaken in response to activity, via receptor trafficking and structural change.
🧠 NeuroscienceChemical messengers like dopamine, serotonin and acetylcholine released across synapses.
🧠 NeuroscienceDrugs act on receptors, transporters or enzymes to alter synaptic transmission.
🧠 Neuroscience