There are a lot of medications on the market that affect blood flow and metabolism in the brain. Sertraline (Zoloft), for example, affects serotonin and, to a lesser extent, dopamine and acetylcholine. The ability of your brain to maintain adequate levels of serotonin is contingent upon the speed of the reuptake cycle. The faster your brain processes your serotonin the more susceptible you'll be to depression and anxiety. The mechanism by which Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) work is through the inhibition of the reuptake cycle. This allows the brain's serotonin to remain in the brain for a longer period of time, which the brain uses to affect mood and a few other things such as appetite and sex drive.

Fluoxetine (Prozac) is in the same family of drugs (SSRIs) but seems to have a greater dopaminergic effect. This could be from an inhibition of the reuptake of dopamine or norepinephrine but could also be its effect on receptors of serotonin subtypes that aren't as pronounced with Sertraline. It's almost a mystery why two drugs from the same class can affect a person so differently. As the science becomes more and more clear we will be able to objectively list the brain's neurotransmitters and all the subtypes. Everyone knows of serotonin as being a relaxing, nourishing chemical but, depending on the serotonin subtype, this transmitter can actually do the opposite. I've known some people who had panic attacks and sleepless nights on Prozac but found relief with Paxil or Zoloft.

Drugs such as Wellbutrin affect the dopamine receptors--several subtypes exist here as well. Basically, norepinephrine and dopamine excite a person's mood and creates similar effects as caffeine. For some people this complements their natural brain chemistry. For others, it can be profoundly uncomfortable and can even make a person more depressed than they were to begin with.

There are a couple of important things to remember in regards to taking an SSRI. It is easy to forget that the way a person feels is being altered by the medication and to forget that this can be changed. Suicidal thoughts are a side effect and should be considered in light of your medication and dosage. In addition, drinking alcohol on some of these drugs make the alcohol not as effective, which may bring the patient to drink way more than their bodies can handle and then deadly overdoses occur. Also, the day of or the day after drinking alcohol will make these drugs less effective and can make a person depressed.

If you want to learn more about SSRIs an excellent book is Listening to Prozac. It's not one of those anti-drug books written by fanatics. The field of brain chemistry is getting more exciting as researchers discover new aspects about the mood centers of the brain and how we can improve people's lives and defeat mental health problems. The book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life by Daniel G. Amen is a great explanation of the different parts of the brain related to mood and motivation.

Please visit , , and