Over 100 neurotransmitters have been identified in the human brain, but there are likely more. The effects of these chemical messengers are not fully understood, making it difficult to develop drugs that target specific cells. Drugs that affect serotonin may not work for everyone with depression, suggesting there are other unidentified messengers. The mechanism and identification of neurotransmitters remain an area of study in science and medicine.
A neurotransmitter is a specialized chemical messenger that transfers or sends information from one type of cell to another. Scientists have managed to identify over 100 neurotransmitters in the human brain alone, but evidence suggests we have significantly more than this number. An unfortunate aspect of not being able to identify all neurotransmitter cells is that researchers, especially those developing drugs to target specific messenger cells, can’t always determine why or how drugs work or don’t work.
You probably know some of the names of the neurotransmitters identified. These include dopamine, GABA, serotonin, acetylcholine and norepinephrine. Each of these performs some specific functions in the body. For example serotonin is indicated in mood stability, emotional response and temperature control. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that allows the person to voluntarily or voluntarily use his muscles. While researchers can suggest the possible effects of some neurotransmitters, not only have they not identified all of them, they are not even close to determining all the effects of the messenger cells that have been identified.
This is made very clear when people are given drugs that are supposed to have an effect on a neurotransmitter. A variety of medications focus on preventing the body from using serotonin too quickly and are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs are most commonly used to treat depression and are helpful in preventing the body from using serotonin too quickly. When this neurotransmitter is in increased amounts in the brain, it tends to improve mood, and you’ve probably heard the names of some of the common SSRIs such as Prozac®, Zoloft® and Paxil®.
In theory, if serotonin were the only neurotransmitter responsible for depression, these drugs would cure everyone. Yet many people with depression do not respond to SSRIs. Instead, they may respond to drugs that affect GABA, dopamine, or norepinephrine. Some people have tried all of these medications intended to relieve depression and they still don’t respond to treatment. Failure to respond to treatment suggests that we do not fully understand the role of neurotransmitters in depression and there may be unidentified messengers creating conditions such as depressive or anxious states.
Since we don’t understand the precise mechanism of each neurotransmitter or the true number of all that exist, we also cannot understand how drugs, foods, or environmental exposure can affect these chemical messengers. Scientists and researchers have to make educated guesses based on what is known, but the plethora of unknown information about these cells equates these theories to trying to play darts in total darkness. Sometimes the guesses are good enough; SSRIs, for example, are reasonably effective for many people. Other times these theories don’t work, since we’re making assumptions about what is essentially unfamiliar territory and have no idea what other effects might be caused by increasing or decreasing levels of certain chemicals the body makes.
The mechanism and identification of neurotransmitters remains a fertile area of study in the sciences. If we could know exactly how many of these messengers we have, and exactly how they work, interact with each other, and guide the body, we might be able to effectively develop drugs to treat numerous conditions. Until then, science and medicine rely on educated guesses.
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