-
Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners
How can I tell if I have a chemical imbalance in the brain?
Related Topics
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? -
Find a professional to answer your question
Find a professional to answer your question Search Now
-
2
Thanks
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 :-).
Report this post
You must be a HealthShare member to report this post. to your account or now (it's free).
You may also like these related questions
-
How do I cope with my husband's depression?
My husband has been diagnosed with depression. He is on medication and he will not talk to me about it and now he has decided to move out on his own. Financially I could not cope on my own. I feel h… -
Work has become too much to bare - is there any help I can access?
-
How can I shake this depressing feeling?
