The Alchemy of Neurotransmitters and Mood Stability

[Spook]

Throughout the annals of history, art, and literature there have been subtle hints to graphic depictions of a quiet madness within the self. The ancient cultures would perceive those with mood disorders as being punished by the gods or possessed by demons. Yet, some of the greatest and most creative minds were vexed with mania and/or depression. During the times of the past, much was unknown concerning mood disorders and those that suffered from this biochemical instability were labeled as mad. Edgar Allan Poe wrote, “Men have called me mad, but the question is not yet settled, whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence—whether much that is glorious—whether all that is profound—does not spring from disease of thought—from moods of mind exalted at the expense of general intellect.”

In fact it has been suspicioned that a great many classical to modern poets and artists had suffered from unipolar or bipolar disorders. These people include Lord Byron, Tennyson, Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Robert Schumann, Georgia O’Keefe, and the very notable Vincent Van Gogh. Even though these people suffered from mood disorders it would be an idiot savante (more idiot/less savante) to imply that every person with a mood disorder or every creative and intelligent individual is a “mad genius.”

Throughtout the recent decades and the advent of higher technology people can now determine the physiological or the circumstantial (situational) mechanisms for mood disorders.

“It is such a woeful sound to listen to the chaotic rhythm of those who cannot dance to be entertained by the violent molecular ballet from within.”—Spook.

Within the brain, more than 100,000 chemical reactions take place every second. The brain essentially serves as a command, and relay, electrical station always transmitting signals through electrical conduits (central and peripheral nervous systems—CNS and PNS), as well as to receive and relay more instructions through this organic and living inorganic neural network. The human brain is so complex with such a simple overlap of living architecture composed of neurons and glands, that the brain has the potential to do amazing things would be an understatement. It is essentially the universe’s smallest and yet most powerful supercomputer that is rarely used to its fullest potential. In theory, or at least in hypothesis by some of the world’s pioneers in science, if a person could utilize all 100% (instead of the average 10%) of the brain, that person would no longer take on a physical form, but be transformed into a being of pure energy…in theory anyway.

Along with all of the electrical impulses that travel throughout the brain these are chemicals known as neurotransmitters and hormones that play key roles in mood stability. There are many different neurotransmitters that may affect mood permissively but the key neurotransmitters involved are serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Other chemicals in the brain that can affect mood stability such as GABA (g-aminobutyric acid), cholinergic agonists and atagonists that may be exogenously introduced into the body, acetylcholine, various amino acids, and neuroendocrine signaling agents such as growth factors and hormones. The brain produces over 50 identifiable drugs that are either associated with the enhancement of the logical and cognitive functions, memory, or even natural sedation. Endorphins are among those sedatives and is considered to be three times more potent than morphine (hence the name endorphin is a contraction of the words “endogenous morphine”).

Proper balance of the brain chemistry is essential for a stable mood. For some, it may be inherent for deficiencies to occur while others create for themselves an imbalance of brain chemicals that could be corrected with the proper diet and lifestyle habits.

As all of us who desire the healthy and fit lifestyle in the gym and in our world, we all know that mood instability can crush our motivation and drive to perform to our best. For more information concerning neurotransmitter health please be looking for a full length article in the coming weeks at www.massmonsters.com.
Spook
Administrator www.massmonsters.com

[This message was edited by Spook on 03-30-03 at 06:58 PM.]