Neurotransmitters

Serotonin

• The neurotransmitter serotonin performs a variety of functions in the brain. High levels of serotonin increase tolerance to pain, decrease cravings for food, improve mood and enhance sleep. Low levels of the neurotransmitter result in increased sensitivity to pain, food cravings, depression, insomnia, aggressive behavior and poor body temperature regulation. Serotonin is manufactured in the brain from the amino acid tryptophan, along with folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12.

Dopamine and Norepinephrine

• Dopamine and norepinephrine (sometimes called noradrenaline) are neurotransmitters that are manufactures from tyrosine, an amino acid, as well as folic acid, magnesium and vitamin B12. A drop in the levels of these neurotransmitters produces feelings of depression and irritability. Consuming more tyrosine raises levels of these neurotransmitters and improves mood, increases alertness, alleviates stress and boosts mental functioning.

Acetylcholine

• Choline, a fat-like substance, is unlike amino acids in that it has no competition for entry into the brain. The more choline is consumed, the more of it enters the brain and is used to produce the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is important in memory and general mental functioning. A decrease in acetylcholine levels is common with aging and may result in memory loss and reduced cognitive ability.

Effect of Drugs on Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters & Drug Chart

Drug class:	Specific drugs:		Mechanism:	Major effects:	Side effects:	Any medical use:
	Subgroup:	Examples:
Sedatives	Benzodiazepines	Diazepam (Valium), clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), temazepam (Restoril), flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), triazolam (Halcion), alprazolam (Xanax)	Agonist at benzodiazepine site on the GABA-A receptor	Calm, relaxed muscles, sleepy	Drowsiness, falls, impaired coordination, impaired memory, dizziness	Anxiety, insomnia, epilepsy, many other diseases
	Benzodiazepine agonists	Zolpidem (Ambien), eszopiclone (Lunesta), zopiclone, zaleplon (Sonata)	Same as above	Mainly just sleepy, sometimes hallucinations and sleep-like states	Same as benzodiazepines	Insomnia
	Barbiturates	Phenobarbital, pentobarbital, thiopental (sodium pentothal, sodium amytal), secobarbital	Agonist at barbiturate site on the GABA-A receptor	Calm, euphoric, sleepy	Same as benzodiazepines, plus breathing suppressed, terrible withdrawal, death	Epilepsy, other diseases in the past and more rarely today
	Alcohol		Opens BK potassium channels (hyperpolarizing neurons), closes SK potassium channels in reward center of brain (causing DA release), probably other effects	Calm, euphoric, loss of inhibitions (facilitates socializing, talking, singing, sex), relaxed	Same as benzodiazepines, plus nausea, vomiting, breathing suppressed, terrible withdrawal (including psychosis and seizures), brain damage, various diseases, death	Alcohol withdrawal
	Gammahydroxybutyrate (GHB), GBL, 1,4-butanediol		Agonist at GHB receptor (may desensitize it or inhibit GABA), agonist at GABA-B receptor	Euphoric, energetic, sleepy, calm (mix of stimulant and sedative effects)	Same as benzodiazepines, plus nausea, vomiting, breathing suppressed, psychosis, seizures, death	Narcolepsy (improves cataplexy, not simply a sleep aid)
Stimulants	Amphetamines	Amphetamine (Adderall), methamphetamine (Desoxyn), methylphenidate (Ritalin), phentermine, 4-methylaminorex, phenmetrazine (Preludin), methcathinone, fenfluramine (Pondimin, Fen-Phen), dexfenfluramine (Redux), pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), ephedrine, phenylpropanolamine (old Triaminic), phenylephrine (Sudafed PE)	Increase release and inhibit reuptake of 5-HT, DA, and NE.	Euphoric, energetic, able to work, concentrate, stay awake. Reduces appetite.	Anxiety, paranoia, psychosis, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, brain damage when used excessively	ADHD, narcolepsy, obesity, rarely depression
		MDMA (ecstasy), MDA, MDEA	Like above, but releases a lot more 5-HT	Euphoric, energetic, deep and unusual thoughts, perceived inspiration and novelty, enhances sex, dancing, music, art, touch and senses. Contentment. Connection to other people, strong emotions.	Same as amphetamine, plus brain damage, confusion, agitation, frequently death due to hyperthermia, heart attack, water intoxication, and other problems.	None
	Cocaine		Inhibits 5-HT, NE, and DA reuptake, blocks voltage-gated sodium channels	Same as amphetamine (above)	Same as amphetamine, plus a worse risk of heart attack	Local anesthesia and bleeding control, diagnostic tests
Narcotics	Full opioid agonists	Morphine, heroin (diacetylmorphine), hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (Percocet, Oxycontin), fentanyl, Demerol, codeine, opium, hydromorphone (Dilaudid), oxymorphone (Opana), methadone	Activate all opioid receptors completely. Reduce NE release.	Euphoric, pain relief, calm, relaxed, sleepy, appetite suppression	Nausea, constipation, vomiting, drowsiness, breathing suppressed	Pain relief, rarely depression and diarrhea
	Partial, selective, or mixed opioid agonists	Buprenorphine (Suboxone), pentazocine, nalbuphine, tramadol (Ultram), tifluadom	Only activate certain subtypes of opioid receptors, and/or do not activate them fully, and/or block certain subtypes.	Pain relief, not quite as euphoric or relaxing as full agonists (above)	Nausea, constipation, vomiting, drowsiness	Pain relief, rarely depression, opioid addiction
Cannabis	Active ingredient is mostly tetrahydrocannabinol, some other active ingredients like cannabidiol in smaller quantities		Agonist at cannabinoid receptors	Unusual thoughts and feelings, sometimes calm, happy, hungry, enhanced appreciation of art	Memory, thinking, reflexes, and coordination are impaired. May contribute to psychosis in the long term.	Might relieve nausea, vomiting, and neuropathic pain. Pills already legal, other forms under investigation.
Psychedelics	Phenethylamines	Mescaline (peyote cactus), 2C-series drugs (2C-B, 2C-I, 2C-C, 2C-T-7), 3C-E, 4-MTA, PMA, DO-series drugs (DOC, DOB, DOI, DOM)	Partial agonist at 5-HT2 receptors (2A and possibly 2C). This receptor is mostly excitatory, but it is inhibitory in certain parts of the brain dealing with perception.	Feeling of novelty, inspiration, reverence. Fast, disordered thoughts, trances. Perceptual anomalies: patterns move, colors brighter, seeing sounds, smelling colors. Crazy ideas and beliefs.	Anxiety, insomnia, paranoia, temporary psychosis. May contribute to psychosis in the long term, or cause "flashbacks" (HPPD). Some cause nausea, increased body temperature, tremors.	None
	Tryptamines	Psilocybin and psilocin (both in mushrooms), bufotenin (in toads), DMT (in plants), 5-MeO-DMT (in plants), 5-MeO-DiPT, DET, AMT, 4-HO-DiPT				Psilocybin and LSD have been tested for the treatment of cluster headaches
	Ergolines	Lysergic acid diethylamine (LSD), LSA (ergine, in plants)	Same as above, plus agonism at other 5-HT, DA, and NE receptors.	Same as above, plus other effects, depends of frequency of use and dose.		Other ergolines are used for many diseases but are not psychedelic.
Dissociative anesthetics	Phencyclidine (PCP), dextromethorphan, ketamine		NMDA (glutamate receptor) antagonists	Feeling of distance from reality and body, numbing of sensations and pain. Convincing and absorbing hallucinations.	Nausea, vomiting, coma, violence, extreme confusion, temporary psychosis. PCP causes brain damage.	Anesthesia. A related drug, memantine, is used in Alzheimer's disease, and these could be used in stroke sufferers.
Deliriants	Scopolamine and atropine (in plants), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine)		Muscarinic (ACh receptor) antagonists	Loss of memory, convincing and absorbing hallucinations.	Extreme confusion, temporary psychosis, hot, dry skin, dry mouth, huge pupils, fast heartbeat, death	Many legitimate uses
Inhalants	Diethyl ether (starter fluid), toluene, gasoline, glue, paint, xenon, freon, halothane, sevoflurane		Unknown, probably multiple mechanisms	Calm, relaxed, euphoric, pain relief, hallucinations, strange sensations (different inhalants cause different effects from this list)	Many diseases, death, nausea, vomiting, accidental asphyxiation, falls, varies depending on particular drug	General anesthesia
	Nitrous oxide		Unknown, but opioid pathways are necessary	Calm, euphoric, pain relief, memory loss, unconsciousness	Similar to above	General or partial anesthesia
	Nitrites	Isoamyl nitrite, isobutyl nitrite	Stimulate NO system (NO is a neurotransmitter)	"Head rush", muscle relaxation, dizziness	Dangerously low blood pressure, fainting	Heart conditions
Other	Salvinorin A (salvia divinorum)		Selective agonist of the kappa opioid receptor	Convincing, absorbing hallucinations, visionary states, pain relief	Dysphoria, panic, headache, inability to talk, falls, sweating, persisting anxiety	Theoretically similar to pain relievers (pentazocine)
	Muscimol (amanita muscaria)		GABA-A agonist	Vaguely like a hallucinogen	Nausea, other side effects	Useful in research
	Nicotine (tobacco)		Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist	See Wikipedia, PubMed, Google
	Caffeine (coffee, tea, other plants)		Adenosine receptor antagonist, inhibits some PDE enzymes causing increased cAMP signaling	Alertness, wakefullness, energy, appetite suppression, headache relief	Insomnia, anxiety, headaches on withdrawal, diuresis	Headaches
	Methaqualone (Quaalude, Sopor), thalidomide, meprobamate (Miltown), carisoprodol (Soma), glutethimide, chloral hydrate (knockout drops, Micky), ethchlorvynol (Placidyl), methyprylon, primidone		Various mechanisms, mostly related to GABA, similar to barbiturates	Depending on the drug: Calm, sleepy, euphoric, relaxed muscles, pain relief, nausea relief	Falls, poor coordination and memory, coma, other side effects vary from drug to drug	Anxiety, depression, insomnia, pain, anesthesia, epilepsy, muscle relaxation, nausea
Disclaimer: Do not use drugs for fun. Take drugs exactly as prescribed by a trustworthy doctor. This chart provides a rough overview, it is an oversimplification, it has omissions, and it may have blatant inaccuracies due to ongoing scientific debate or the writer's idiocy.

Neuro- transmitter:	ACh Acetylcholine	NE Norepinephrine	DA Dopamine	5-HT Serotonin	Glu Glutamate	GABA	Opioids	Cannabinoids	Histamine
Effects:	↓Heart rate ↑Secretions (sweat, saliva) ↑Memory ↑Muscle contractions	↑Heart rate ↑Alertness ↑Happiness ↓Blood circulation ↓Pain	↑Alertness ↑Happiness ↓Hunger	↑Happiness ↑Fullness ↓Pain	The most common excitatory neurotransmitter	↑Sleepiness ↓Anxiety ↓Alertness ↓Memory ↓Muscle tension	↑Sleepiness ↓Anxiety ↓Pain	↑Hunger	↑Wakefulness ↑Stomach acid ↑Itchiness ↓Hunger
Drugs that increase or mimic:	Nicotine, muscarine, Chantix, nerve gases (VX, Sarin), Alzheimer's drugs (Aricept, Exelon), physostigmine, Tensilon, pilocarpine	Amphetamine, cocaine, SNRIs (Effexor, Cymbalta), tricyclic antidepressants, MAOIs, Wellbutrin, LSD, pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), albuterol, pyridostigmine	Amphetamine, cocaine, Parkinson's drugs (levodopa, bromocriptine, benztropine), MAOIs, Wellbutrin, LSD	Amphetamine, cocaine, LSD, psychedelics (mushrooms, mescaline), SSRIs (Prozac, Zoloft), tricyclic antidepressants, MAOIs, BuSpar, triptans (sumatriptan, for migraines)	D-cycloserine, domoic acid (shellfish)	Alcohol, barbiturates (phenobarbital), benzodiazepines (Valium), GHB, baclofen, neurosteroids (alphaxolone), muscimol	Morphine, heroin, fentanyl, hydrocodone (Vicodin)	THC (marijuana, hashish), nabilone	Opiates, betahistine
Drugs that decrease or block:	BZ, atropine, scopolamine, benztropine, biperiden, curare, Botox, mecamylamine, α-bungarotoxin	Propranolol, clonidine, phentolamine, reserpine, AMPT	Antipsychotics (Haldol), reserpine, tetrabenazine, AMPT	Atypical antipsychotics (Risperdal, Seroquel), Zofran, reserpine, TPH inhibitors, tryptophan-depleted drink	PCP, ketamine, Namenda (for Alzheimer's), dextromethorphan (Robitussin), dizocilpine	Flumazenil, bicuculline, bemegride, Ro 15-4513, phaclofen	Naloxone, naltrexone	Rimonabant	Benadryl, antipsychotics, Tagamet, Zantac
Disclaimer: Do not use drugs for fun. Take drugs exactly as prescribed by a trustworthy doctor. This chart provides a rough overview, it is an oversimplification, it has omissions, and it may have blatant inaccuracies due to ongoing scientific debate or the writer's idiocy.

Neurotransmitter Foods

Neurotransmitters, brain chemicals that influence your mood and thoughts, facilitate communication between neurons in your brain. Your body uses the nutrients in the foods you eat, primarily amino acids, to manufacture neurotransmitters. Following general principles for good nutrition and eating a well-balanced diet will benefit your brain as well as the rest of your body. Still, if you are lacking in a certain neurotransmitter, you may wish to know about specific foods that contribute to the production of that neurotransmitter.

Brown Rice

Brown rice is a good source of the amino acid tryptophan, which is converted to serotonin when the body has adequate vitamins B1, B3, B6 and folic acid. Serotonin, a calming neurotransmitter, plays an important role in brain activities such as learning and memory. Serotonin promotes contentment and normal sleep. When serotonin levels in the brain are low, you may experience depression, insomnia or aggressive behavior. Other foods rich in tryptophan that will help increase serotonin levels include peanuts, cottage cheese, meat and sesame seeds.

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Eggs

The yolks of eggs specifically contain choline, a building block for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Other foods that are good sources of choline include soybeans, wheat germ, whole wheat products and organ meats. Essential for thought and memory, acetycholine helps the brain store and recall memories, concentrate and maintain focus. It is also important for muscle coordination. Insufficient acetylcholine results in reduced cognitive capacity and memory decline.

Dairy Products

Milk, yogurt and cheese contain tyrosine, an amino acid your body uses to produce norepinephrine. Bananas, avocados, almonds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and lima beans are other good sources. Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that facilitates alertness, concentration and motivation. The brain also needs norepinephrine to form new memories and to store them long term, the Franklin Institute explains.

Fish

A good source of protein, fish contain the amino acid tyrosine as well. When tyrosine levels in the brain and blood are high, neurons also manufacture the neurotransmitter dopamine, which gives you a mental boost by promoting alertness and activity. Dopamine is important for healthy assertiveness as well as proper nervous and immune system functioning. Dopamine is easily oxidized, so eating plenty of foods with antioxidants, such as fruits and vegetables, helps protect the dopamine-using neurons.

Spinach

A cup of cooked spinach contains about 200 micrograms of folic acid, which is necessary for the body to make use of certain amino acids. By getting enough folic acid, you can help ensure your body will be able to synthesize norepinephrine and serotonin. Perhaps this is why folic acid deficiency has been linked to depression in some clinical studies, according to Middle Tennessee State University. Orange juice is another good source of folic acid.