Serotonin Syndrome

Serotonin can be administered in small doses as a medication if someone is suffering from depression, for example. However, if the approved daily dose that can be taken is exceeded or if serotonin can no longer be broken down correctly or completely, it accumulates in the body and triggers the serotonin syndrome. Syndrome means that many different symptoms occur simultaneously.

Thus, the serotonin syndrome initially manifests itself in symptoms similar to those of a flu-like infection. Those affected get a fever, sweat and tremble, their pulse rate rises and they feel nauseous. If they cannot be treated quickly enough, massive effects such as seizures and hallucinations occur. The only therapy is to stop the medication immediately and administer serotonin antagonists. However, since serotonin cannot be detected directly, for example by a blood test, it is not always easy to immediately recognize the serotonin syndrome as such.

What is the antagonist to serotonin?

One way to treat the serotonin syndrome is the administration of serotonin antagonists. These are substances that have the exact opposite effect to serotonin. Most antagonists work by blocking the receptors to which serotonin binds.As a result, it can no longer exert its effect on the target cell on which the receptor is located. There are no substances in the human body that are directly antagonistic to serotonin, but there are synthetically produced antagonists that can be taken as drugs.

Serotonin deficiency

A serotonin deficiency can manifest itself in many different ways. In the brain, a lack of serotonin leads to sleep disorders, depression and probably also to the development of anxiety disorders. Since serotonin also plays a role in the intestines, it is assumed that a drop in serotonin concentration can lead to digestive problems and irritable bowel symptoms.

Serotonin level

The serotonin level indicates how much serotonin is in the body. Depending on the disease, it can be greatly reduced or increased, although drugs and medication can also influence the level. Nowadays, it is known that serotonin levels are massively reduced in diseases such as depression and Parkinson’s disease, as well as in various anxiety states.

The serotonin level increases in the context of the serotonin syndrome or through drug abuse. In the case of drugs, this circumstance then manifests itself in exaggerated motivation, heightened mood and increased willingness to take risks. The body and the human psyche can also become accustomed to a new, altered serotonin level over time. It is therefore very difficult for patients who have been taking pain-inhibiting drugs such as opioids for a long time to stop taking them again, as they have become so accustomed to the improved mood and complete absence of pain that they feel relatively “unhappy” without the drugs.