Disorders Caused by a Chemical Imbalance

A number of neurological disorders are caused by chemical imbalances. Treatment of imbalance based disorders often try to bring the chemical balance back into acceptable ranges. Chemicals that are commonly out of balance include dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. Because each case of chemical imbalance triggered disorder is unique, it is important to base diagnosis of a particular imbalance on discussions with psychiatrists and other qualified medical personnel.

Depression

One of the best known disorders caused by chemical imbalance is depression. Clinical depression can be caused by too much of the neurochemical monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A). This excess MAO-A can lead to breakdowns in serotonin. This lowering of the level of serotonin triggers clinical depression.

Anxiety & Panic Disroder

Anxiety and panic disorders can often be caused by a chemical imbalance. Neurochemicals that are related to these disorders include serotonin, epinephrine, cortisol, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). In many cases, prescription medications can reduce symptoms of anxiety and panic disorder.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. In many people with schizophrenia, there is too much dopamine in the brain. Because of this excess dopamine, sensory stimulus, like music and lights, that are enjoyable for people without schizophrenia can be overwhelming to people with this disorder. Problems processing this, and other, sensory information can sometimes lead to hallucinations or delusions.

Bi-Polar Disorder

Bi-polar disorder is caused by a variety of things. One of those triggers is a brain chemistry imbalance. Different cases of bi-polar disorder have been linked to high or low levels of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin. Because each case of bi-polar disorder is different, brain chemistry analysis by a psychiatrist is important in understanding individual bi-polar disorder cases.

ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may have links to low levels of particular chemicals in the brain. Low dopamine levels may make it difficult for people suffering from ADHD to focus. Conversely, high levels of dopamine may trigger extreme excitability in certain people.

References

• Understanding Chemical Imbalance
• The "Chemical Imbalance" in Mental Health Problems - Dopamine: Parkinson's Disease and ADHD to Smoking and Paranoia
• Depression's Chemical Imbalance Explained

Resources

• Can Anxiety be Caused by a Chemical Imbalance?
• Understanding And Dealing With Schizophrenia
• What causes bipolar disorder?