Body chemistry and mood How our chemical makeup may affect our emotions. Circadian rhythm

Transcription

1 Presentatin: Bdy chemistry and md Bdy chemistry and md Hw ur chemical makeup may affect ur emtins Definitin Circadian rhythm A circadian rhythm is a rughly 24 hur cycle (Circa + Dia = the Circle f a Day) in the physilgical prcesses f all living beings, including plants, animals, fungi and bacteria. In a strict sense, circadian rhythms are endgenusly generated, althugh they can be mdulated by external cues such as sunlight and temperature. Circadian rhythms are imprtant in determining the sleeping and feeding patterns f all animals, including human beings. There are clear patterns f brain wave activity, hrmne prductin, cell regeneratin and ther bilgical activities linked t this daily cycle.

2 Presentatin: Bdy chemistry and md

3 Presentatin: Bdy chemistry and md Functin Quick Circadian checkup: Melatnin and md At ne time r anther, yu---like mst peple---have prbably wken up in a bad md. There's n rhyme r reasn t it; yu just feel grumpy and bad. The blame may lie with melatnin, a naturally ccurring hrmne prduced in yur brain's pineal gland. Melatnin plays a majr rle in yur sleeping patterns and verall md. T help regulate sleeping patterns and bdy temperature. On average, a human being des nt start prducing melatnin until she is arund three mnths f age, which explains babies' strange sleeping patterns. During childhd, melatnin levels cntinue t increase until they reach their peak during puberty Then it steadily decreases as we age. And, as melatnin levels decrease, sleep difficulties begin t ccur. This is why many peple have sleeping prblems during adulthd.

4 Presentatin: Bdy chemistry and md Significance The amunt f melatnin present in yur bld can influence the way yu feel greatly. Individuals suffering frm depressin usually have lw levels f melatnin. Decreasing melatnin levels can impede a gd night's sleep, which in turn can cause insmnia, depressin and ther md disrders such as seasnal affective disrder (SAD), SAD is a serius depressin that ccurs in sme peple during seasns and cnditins in which the light that triggers melatnin prductin is reduced. (Surce:

5 Presentatin: Bdy chemistry and md Sertnin acts as a neurtransmitter, a type f chemical that helps relay signals frm ne area f the brain t anther. Althugh sertnin is manufactured in the brain, where it perfrms its primary functins, sme 90% f ur sertnin supply is fund Sertnin and md in the digestive tract and in bld platelets.

6 Presentatin: Bdy chemistry and md As a neurtransmitter, sertnin helps t relay messages frm ne area f the brain t anther. Because f the widespread distributin f its cells, it is believed t influence a variety f psychlgical and ther bdy functins. Of the apprximately 40 millin brain cells, mst are influenced either directly r indirectly by sertnin. This includes brain cells related t: md, sexual desire and functin, appetite, sleep, memry and learning, temperature regulatin, and sme scial behavir.

7 Presentatin: Bdy chemistry and md There are many researchers wh believe that an imbalance in sertnin levels may influence md in a way that leads t depressin. Pssible prblems include: lw brain cell prductin f sertnin, a lack f receptr sites able t receive the sertnin that is made, inability f sertnin t reach the receptr sites, r a shrtage in tryptphan, the chemical frm which sertnin is made. If any f these bichemical glitches ccur, researchers believe it can lead t depressin, as well as bsessive-cmpulsive disrder, anxiety, panic, and even excess anger.

8 Presentatin: Bdy chemistry and md Althugh it is widely believed that a sertnin deficiency plays a rle in depressin, there is n way t measure its levels in the living brain. There have nt been any studies prving that brain levels f this r any neurtransmitter are in shrt supply when depressin r any mental illness develps. Researchers dn't knw whether the dip in sertnin causes the depressin, r the depressin causes sertnin levels t drp. (Surce: