Noreparanaline and its relationship with depression and ADHD

Noreprenaline, also called NOREPINEFRINE It is a hormonal neurotransmitter. It is part of the catecholamines, a group of substances that include adrenaline, norepinephrine and dopamine, which are synthesized from the amino acid tyrosine.

Content

• What is norepinenaline or norepinephrine?
• Where is noreprenaline segregated?
• NORADRENALINE FUNCTION
• Norepinephrine and depression
• Norepinephrine and ADHD
  • Increase norepinephrine levels with food and supplements
  • References

What is norepinenaline or norepinephrine?

Norepinephrine or norepinephrine is a chemical that acts as a neurotransmitter and hormone in the human body. It is produced in the adrenal glands and in certain neurons of the central and peripheral nervous system.

This chemical is released by the sympathetic nervous system in response to stress. It is a neurotransmitter released by nerve cells and their chemical structure, as well as their function, is similar to that of adrenaline.

Noreprenaline plays an important role in the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the response of "struggle or escape" of the body in stress or danger situations. In addition, it is also involved in the regulation of blood pressure, heart rate, contraction of blood vessels and the release of glucose by liver.

In the brain, norepinephrine plays a role in mood regulation, attention and stress response. The medications that affect norepinephrine, such as antidepressants and stimulants, are used to treat a variety of mental disorders, such as depression, attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity (ADHD) and narcolepsy.

Where is noreprenaline segregated?

The noreprenaline is segregated mainly in two places of the body: in the adrenal glands, two structures of the size of a nut that are found in the upper part of the kidneys, and in the sympathetic nerve terminals of the central and peripheral nervous system.

In the adrenal glands, noreprenaline is produced and released in response to stress or danger situations. The adrenal glands are above the kidneys and are formed by two parts: the marrow and the cortex. The adrenal medulla is the one that produces and releases norepinephrine, together with adrenaline, in the bloodstream in response to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system.

In the central and peripheral nervous system, noreprenaline is produced and released in sympathetic nerve terminals in response to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. These nerve terminals are found in many parts of the body, including the heart, blood vessels, liver and muscles, and are responsible for the response of the body of "struggle or flight" in situations of stress or danger.

The inner layer of the adrenal glands secretes norepinephrine and epinephrine (adrenaline). These two stress hormones are released in different quantities in response to sudden stress factors, increasing blood pressure and blood sugar, and sending more energy to the muscles to help prepare to fight or flee the danger.

NORADRENALINE FUNCTION

When this hormone is released, Increase heart rate and blood pressure. It also produces a pupillary dilation and helps improve the passage of air inside the lungs.  Noreprenaline prevents the narrowing of blood vessels in visceral organs. This allows the body to work well in stress situations. It stimulates a type of receiver known as alphacceptors, which cause muscle contraction and the narrowing of the blood vessels of these areas. Due to the narrowing of blood vessels on the periphery, blood is redirected towards vital organs such as heart and brain.

The purpose of stress hormones is to prepare your brain and body to deal with an emergency that threatens physical life. However, in the modern world, most of us react to Stress factors constantly and few of them are real physical danger events. Unfortunately, the body's excitation system cannot distinguish each other persecuted by a wild animal or if it is suffering from factors such as road traffic, crowds, noise, a 50 -hour work week or constant demand of attention by our electronic devices.

When we are under a constant stress, Our adrenal glands never stop pumping stress hormones (adrenaline and norepinephrine) and this generates deep Effects on our physical and mental health.

Stress contributes to anxiety, depression, digestive disorders, heart disease, sleeping problems, weight gain and cognitive impairment. The function of the immune system is reduced and our risk to cancer and psychiatric disorders increases. Chronic stress can cause adrenal glands to be able to meet all hormonal demand to cause a wide variety of secondary symptoms such as: for example:

• Headache
• Hypertension
• Sleeping problems
• Anxiety
• Loss of appetite
• Bad mood
• General sensation of discomfort
• Palpitations or arrhythmias

Norepinephrine and depression

Since the main objective of norepinephrine is to ensure that in a state of greatest excitation, it is not surprising that the lack of this hormone has the opposite effect. A low level of norepinephrine can make us feel tired, mentally fatigued, cloudy, in a bad mood and with little interest in life.

Generally Depression is associated with low levels of serotonin neurotransmitter. This is the reason why the most prescribed medications for depression are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (ISRS). These medications work by increasing serotonin brain levels. Although the most frustrating and disconcerting for doctors and patients equally, they work well in less than half of the cases. An answer may be in the fact that, for some, the depression It is caused by low norepinephrine, No serotonin.

This idea is not new. In the 60s the psychiatrist of Harvard University Joseph J. Schildkraut, proposed that the lack of norepinephrine instead of serotonin was the cause of depression. This is called the "Catecholamine theory of mood disorders". He also proposed that the mania experienced during an episode of bipolar disorder is due to an excess of norepinephrine.

Currently some of the new antidepressants direct their action towards norepinephrine.

Norepinephrine and ADHD

Currently, he believes that there are three UDAH subtypes (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Deficit):

1. Predominance disorder of attention deficit
2. Predominance disorder of hyperactivity and impulsivity
3. Combined disorder (significant problems both by neglect and hyperactivity-impulsivity)

An explanation for the three ADHD subtypes is that patients have different neurotransmitters imbalances. This theory can be justified by the fact that there is no medicine for ADHD function well in all patients.

Each TDAH subtype is more likely to respond to a different medication class. People with predominance disorder of attention deficit, it is believed that they have lower levels of norepinephrine. Most people with ADHDs who take drugs are usually stimulating such as ritalin or addell, which increase dopamine levels, but people with a low level of norepinephrine work better with non -stimulating medications such as Strattera.

Increase norepinephrine levels with food and supplements

There are two simple ways to increase norepinephrine in the body, and they are diet and supplements.

The amino acid tyrosine is the precursor of norepinephrine. It is found in many common foods especially in protein, both animals and plant. Meat, dairy products, fish, chicken and legumes are good sources of tyrosine. Other foods that promote norepinenial synthesis are apples, bananas, beets, watermelon and wheat germ.

Norepinephrine supplements cannot be taken since they cannot cross the blood brain barrier, and therefore cannot act on the brain. But instead you can take tyrosine supplements. A tyrosine supplement is a good natural option to consider if you have depression.

According to dr. Andrew Weil, "Tyrosine with the empty stomach causes an increase in norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain, which can lead to an increase in energy, alertness and improvement of moods, thus reliabing depressive symptoms in form fast. Unlike the Grass of San Juan, A herbal remedy that can take two months to take effect and the usual antidepressants, which will probably not come into operation until after about six weeks, the tyrosine works very quickly".

Another supplement to take into account is the Arctic Root (Rhodiola Rosea). It is one of the few dozen herbs that meet the criteria of an adaptogen. Adaptogens are herbal remedies that are neither stimulating or relaxing. Instead, they work by increasing the general resistance against stress and bring the body in a state of functional equilibrium known as homeostasis. Arctic root increases the activity of norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine. It is especially good to combat fatigue, so it is a useful complement to anyone with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.

The neuroendocrine system: hypothalamus, pituitary and its operation

References

• Bloom, f.AND. I lazerson, to. (1988). Brain, Mind, and Behavior. Nova York: Freeman and Company.
• Bradford, h.F. (1988). Fundamentals of neurochemistry. Barcelona: Labor.
• Carlson, n.R. (1999). Behavior Physiology. Barcelona: Ariel Psychology.
• Carpenter, m.B. (1994). Neuroanatomy. Fundamentals. Buenos Aires: Panamerican Editorial.
• Of April, to.; Ambrosio, e.; Blas, M.R.; Caminero, a.; From Paul, J.M. I Sandoval, and. (EDS) (1999). Biological basis of behavior. Madrid: Sanz and Torres.