Effects of three
monamine uptake inhibitors on behaviour maintained by cocaine or food presentation in rhesus monkeys.
The physiologic is an adaptive outpouring of serotonin and related
monamine neuro-messengers, earned through sustained aerobic effort.
Antidepressants are thought to exert their therapeutic and adverse effects through 3 chemical
monamine neurotransmission systems; by increasing levels of norepinephrine, serotonin, or dopamine in the synapse; and by resultant secondary changes in presynaptic and postsynaptic receptor physiology.
Sterotaxic mapping of the
monamine pathways in the rat brain.
The scientists reported that "isolated complete
monamine oxidase A (MAOA) deficiency in this family is associated with a recognizable behavioral phenotype that includes disturbed regulation of impulsive aggression." After the publication of the findings on MAOA (dubbed the "mean" gene by one journalist), some talk radio show hosts suggested sterilizing people who carried the gene.
The authors suggest that increased serotonin is compensating for age-related deficits in other
monamine neurotransmitters (Cransac, Peyrin, Cottet-Emard, Farhat, Pequignot & Reber, 1996).