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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How can I tell if I have a chemical imbalance in the brain?

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    Depression Mental Health
    How can one find out whether their depression is related to a chemical imbalance in the brain? Are there tests that can be done at the doctors for this?
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    Dr Simon Easterbrook-Smith

    Health Professional

    My research interests include immunology and the mechanisms of amyloid formation. The latter has implications for people who are dealing with Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease … View Profile

    The short answer to your question is "No".

    The longer answer is that there are some studies, obtained using very complex biophysical methods, which suggest that there may be abnormally low levels of two neurotransmitters (molecules which send a message from one neuron to another) - serotonin and noradrenaline, in parts of the brains of people who have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder. 

    These studies are currently at the "basic science" stage and the methods used are way outside what a GP could offer in his/her surgery for the foreseeable future.

    They may help to explain why anti-depressant medications like the Specific Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs, for example, Prozac) and the Serotonin Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs, for example, Effexor) can help people with Major Depressive Disorder.

    Apologies if this is a bit technical but I hope that it helps you :-).

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