Neurotransmitters

Serotonin

Regulation of mood, control of eating, sleep, arousal, regulation of pain, and control of dreaming.

Norepinephrine

Used for arousal in the fight/flight response. Also involved in stress, arousal, eating.

Endorphins

Natural opiate; regulates pain perception. Released during aerobic exercise and linked to positive emotions.

Dopamine

Involved in voluntary muscle movements, attention, learning, memory, emotional arousal, and rewarding sensations.

GABA

Inhibitory neurotransmitter; helps balance and offset other excitatory messages. Regulates sleep-wake cycles.

Acetylcholine

Produces muscle action and contractions. Also involved in memory formation, learning and general intellectual functioning.

Glutamine

Enhances transmission of information to the brain

Substance P

Found in the brain and spinal cord and is associated with some inflammatory processes in the joints

Related to the sensation of pain and inflammation

Surplus of serotonin

Headaches

Surplus of norepinephrine

Anxiety, stress, nervous tension

Surplus of acetylcholine

Violent muscle contractions/spasms

Surplus of glutamate

Seizures, migraines

Surplus of GABA

Sleep disorders, some eating disorders

Surplus of dopamine

Schizophrenia, hallucination, perceptual disorders, addiction

Surplus of endorphins

Body may not give adequate warning about pain, artificial highs

Lack of acetylcholine

Alzheimer’s disease

Lack of dopamine

Parkinson’s disease

Lack of GABA

Anxiety disorders, seizures, tremors

Lack of glutamate

Schizophrenia

Lack of serotonin

Depressive disorders, OCD

Lack of endorphins

Body experiences pain

Lack of norepinephrine

Depression