03.23.07
Some Effects of Anti-Depressants on the Body, Part 2
In order for a discussion on norepinephrine (aka noradrenaline) and receptors in relation to depression to be more easily understood, it would help to first discuss receptors.
Our bodies are made up of millions of cells, each of which have a wall or membrane around it. This membrane is made up of complicated molecules among them being what is known as receptors. They are known as receptors because they detect or “receive” the molecules of hormones in the bloodstream. So, when a molecule of the hormone epinephrine touches an epinephrine receptor (there are different receptors for every hormone in the body, sometimes there is only one type of receptor for a particular hormone, while other times there are a whole group of similar receptors involved in a cascade) in a cell membrane, it triggers a series of changes in the cell known as the “response.”
Nerves are also closely involved with the actions of hormones and receptors. Almost every organ is connected to nerves. There are two known function of nerves–a). sensory, in that they detect or sense changes in the organ’s blood supply, chemical environment, position, and temperature and signal that information to the brain, and b). motor, in that some nerves carry information from the brain to the organs causing muscles to contract or glands to secrete hormones.
Different organs in the body communicate with each other using hormones, nerve cells aka neurons, which are believed to communicate with each other and the organs by releasing hormone-”like” chemicals known as “transmitters” or “neurotransmitters.” Transmitters are secreted by neurons very quickly and their effects may be felt within a few thousandths of a second.
Then there are different types of receptors–sympathetic and parasympathetic. Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter which is released by the sympathic nerves which control organs by using alpha and beta receptors.
A list of the reactions involved with they sympathetic nerves and norepinephrine according to Pills, Potions, and Poisons are as follows:
~contraction of muscles in the iris, which opens the pupil
~Relaxation of muscles cells in the tacha (windpipe), allowing more air into the lungs
~release of glucose from the liver (to provide energy)
~reduce movements of the intestine
~contraction of the tubes from the testes (the vasa deferentia) producing ejaculation
~contraction of the blood vessels, raising the blood pressure. . . Now this is the action I mentioned in my previous post on Reserpine, the blood pressure med, which gave the clues of a possible link with norepinephrine levels and depression. As one can see from this list above, altering the presence of norephinephrine can affect quite a few other parts of the body, not only depression. And I feel sure that this list above is only a very short list since there is always a cascade effect in the body.
Below is another list for the transmitter norephinephrine (noradrenaline) and ephinephrine (adrenalin) and which tissues and receptors they are known to affect:
Tissue~ Effect~ Receptor
~stomach~relaxation~alpha and beta
~intestine~relaxation~alpha and beta
~bladder~relaxation~alpha and beta
~salivary glands~secretion~alpha
~eye~dilation of pupil~alpha
~heart~increased rate and force~beta
~blood vessels~contraction/relaxation~alpha and beta respectively
~kidney~renin secretion~beta
~airways~relaxation~beta
~male sex organ~contraction of muscles (ejaculation)~alpha (this one reminds me of one guy who described the feeling that he didn’t know if he was coming or going, ha ha ha)
~liver~release of glucose~alpha and beta
Okay, so we can see how many more things are involved in the body when messing around with neurotransmitters like norepinephrine. I’m sure it’s more complicated than that since I believe other amines are involved as well, but I think one can get the gist of why I think that using anti-depressants can wreck havoc on the body and cause many imbalances. Tricyclic anti-depressants alter the amount of transmitters at the receptors by preventing their uptake into the nerve endings. There are several tricyclic drugs which act in a similar way, but they effect cells which release a different amine: 5HT. The group of anti-depressants which work on serotonin are known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). But the idea is the same in that they alter the environment of the nerves and transmitters. For these reasons, I feel that it is worthwhile to dilligently seek a more natural way to treat depression.
Marlakins
