Depression

Question 1

3 symptoms of depressions

Answer 1

• have feelings of overwhelming sadness
• feelings of helplessness and anxiety
• lose interest and pleasure in things they would normally enjoy
• have difficulty sleeping
• reduced energy levels

Question 2

what is serotonin

Answer 2

a neurotransmitter which neurones are found in the brain stem, their axons extend into the cortex, cerebellum and the spinal cord

Question 3

serotonin and depression

Answer 3

a lack of serotonin is associated with depression but it isn’t known if low serotonin levels are a cause or symptom of depression

Question 4

how does prozac work as a drug treatment

Answer 4

• prozac is a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI)
• prozac inhibits the re-uptake of serotonin from the synaptic cleft
• this results in a higher level of serotonin being maintained in the synapse so more action potential are sent.

Question 5

why do some people who take MDMA develop symptoms of depression

Answer 5

• MDMA stimulates so much serotonin that neurones cannot synthesis enough to meet the normal body demands for some time after using MDMA so there is a lack of serotonin which is associated wit depression

Question 6

short term effects of MDMA

Answer 6

changes in behaviour and brain chemistry ,it effects thinking, mood and memory and can cause anxiety.
the most desirable effect is its ability to provide feelings of emotional warmth and empathy

Question 7

long term effects of MDMA

Answer 7

changes in behaviours and brain structure

Question 8

how does ecstasy work

Answer 8

• binds to molecules in the presynaptic membrane that are responsible for transporting the serotonin back into the cytoplasm
• this prevents removal of serotonin from the synaptic cleft
• this increases the concentration of serotonin in the synaptic cleft