Neurotransmitters, Mood Disorders, and Psychotropic Medications Overview

Serotonin

mood, anxiety, sleep

Norepinephrine

energy, alertness, focus

Dopamine

thought process and regulation of movement

Glutamate

excitatory, learning/memory

Acetylcholine

memory, movement

GABA

calming, inhibitory, it slows down or reduces the activity of the neuron.

Too little serotonin

Depression, anxiety, insomnia, OCD

Too much serotonin

Serotonin syndrome (agitation, confusion, sweating, tremors, hyperthermia)

Too little norepinephrine

Depression, low energy, poor focus

Too much norepinephrine

anxiety, mania, schizophrenia

Too little dopamine

Parkinson's (tremor, rigidity), depression

Too much dopamine

Schizophrenia (hallucinations, delusions), mania, addiction

Too little GABA

anxiety, schizophrenia, mania, huntington's

Too much GABA

Sedation, respiratory depression (like with too many benzos) antianxiety

too little glutamate

Memory problems, psychosis (sometimes linked to schizophrenia)

too much glutamate

improvement of cognitive performance in behavioral tasks

Too little Acetylcholine

Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's, Parkinson's

Too much Acetylcholine

depression

Antidepressants

SSRIs, SNRIs, TCAs, MAOIs

SSRIs

(fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram): ↑ serotonin

SNRIs

venlafaxine, duloxetine ↑ serotonin & norepinephrine

TCAs

amitriptyline, nortriptyline

↑ serotonin & norepinephrine

MAOIs

phenelzine, tranylcypromine

↑ all monoamines (serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine)

Antipsychotics

First-Generation (Typical) Antipsychotics

Second-Generation (Atypical) Antipsychotics

First-Generation (Typical) Antipsychotics

Haloperidol, Chlorpromazine, Fluphenazine, Loxapine, blocks dopamine

Second-Generation (Atypical) Antipsychotics

Risperidone, Olanzapine, Clozapine, Quetiapine, Aripiprazole, Ziprasidone. Blocks dopamine and serotonin.

Mood Stabilizers

Lithium, Valproate, carbamazepine, lamotrigine

Lithium

balances out glutamate, serotonin, dopamine (broad stabilizing)

Valproate, carbamazepine, lamotrigine

mostly decreases glutamate

Anxiolytics

benzodiazepines, buspirone

benzodiazepines

lorazepam, diazepam which increase GABA

Buspirone

boosts serotonin activity, but not as strongly as serotonin itself.

Stimulants

Methylphenidate, amphetamines.

Increases dopamine & norepinephrine