Neurotransmitters: Norepinephrine and Serotonin Ms. Carmelitano

Serotonin Function: Serotonin plays a role in our sleep patterns, arousal levels, and emotions

Serotonin Serotonin and sleep patterns Serotonin is highest in the brain when you are awake and active Serotonin is completely absent when you enter REM cycle of sleep REM Cycle – Rapid Eye Movement of sleep – the restorative portion of the sleep cycle Light will increase the level of serotonin production

Serotonin Lack of serotonin may cause: Impaired memory and thought processes Depression Decreased immune response Fatigue Increased pain

Serotonin Serotonin levels are lower in sleep than while awake, they are at their lowest during REM sleep, also known as dreaming sleep. When we prepare for sleep, our serotonin levels drop If we deprive ourselves of sleep, our serotonin levels will rise

Kasamatsu and Hirai (1999) Aim: To investigate how sensory deprivation affects the brain. Procedure: 1. A group of Buddhist monks went on a 72-hour pilgrimage in Japan and did not speak or consume food or water and were exposed to the cold autumn weather. 2. After 2 days, they reported having hallucinations of ancestors 3. Blood samples were taken to test serotonin levels

Kasamatsu and Hirai (1999) Findings: Researchers found that serotonin levels had increased in the monks' brains This activated the hypothalamus and frontal cortex to trigger the hallucinations. Sensory deprivation was the cause of the release of the serotonin, which altered the way the monks experienced the world.

Vocab The hypothalamus controls body temperature, hunger, thirst, fatigue, sleep, and circadian cycles. The frontal cortex is involved in higher mental functions (reward, attention, short-term memory tasks, planning) and may be linked to schizophrenia (too much dopamine).

Norepinephrine Function: Norepinephrine has a role in alertness, emotions, sleeping, dreaming and learning

Norepinephrine Norepinephrine and decision making, arousal, alertness norepinephrine has a stimulating effect, fosters alertness, and plays an important regulatory role in long-term memory and learning.

Malfunction of Norepinephrine If there is an overproduction of Norepinephrine, a person may feel anxious This is because Norepinephrine enhances alertness. If you are too alert, you may become paranoid of everything you see and hear. An underproduction of Norepinephrine may result in depression Norepinephrine is another neurotransmitter that plays a role in arousal. If there is not enough, a person may feel loss of arousal, and feel depressed

Janowsky et al. (1972) Aim: Can a lower level of Norepinephrine cause a person to experience Depression Procedure: 1. participants were given a drug called physostigmine, which lowered the levels of norepinephrine They became profoundly depressed and experienced feelings of self-hate and suicidal wishes within minutes of having taken the drug. 2. Drugs that increase the available norepinephrine tend to be effective in reducing the symptoms of depression.

Geracioti et al (2001) Aim: What is the link between Norepinephrine and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Procedure: Tested 11 male patients who were diagnosed with PTSD after serving in Vietnam or Iraqi Desert Storm and 8 healthy patients Researchers tested Urinary and Plasma Norepinephrine levels through a catheter and compared results Results: Found that PTSD patients had higher levels of Norepinephrine than a patient without PTST These levels may cause people to express emotions more openly than normal