Chemistry of Depression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chemistry of Depression - Essay Example Depression is mainly seen among females even though it is common among males also. Medical science was confused about this discrepancy in the occurrence of depression among males and females. However, recent studies have shown the reasons. â€Å"Scientists from the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, showed that the brain's serotonin systems in males and females are different. They think they might have found one of the reasons why more women are affected with depression and chronic anxiety than me† (What Is Serotonin? What Does Serotonin Do?).Apart from Serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, melatonin, insulin and prostaglandins are some other chemicals which affect mood and emotions. Dopamine is also an aromatic compound in organic chemistry. It is a kind of neurotransmitter which controls the movement of emotional responses. Dopamine deficiency can cause not only depression, but also other disorders such as schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease etc. â€Å"Pharmacological trea tments support the idea that an overactive dopamine system may result in schizophrenia: Medications that block dopamine receptors, specifically D2 receptors, reduce schizophrenia symptoms. The brain regions known as the thalamus and the striatum are affected by dopaminergic activity† (Gromisch).The neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) and the dopaminergic neurones play an important role in schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease (PD). A decrease in DA in the substantia nigra of the brain has been implicated as the cause of PD.