measuring neurotransmitters?

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In our society today we can draw blood and determine what levels of certain things (vitamins or what not) people are low on, and then prescribe them things to make their levels “better”.

When it comes to mental health/mental illness, why can’t we do something similar with our brain chemicals? Like somehow draw some brain fluid or something and see that this person is low on dopamine or serotonin and then prescribe accordingly? Wouldn’t that help the mental health community immensely?

In: Biology

3 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Basically, it’s way too dangerous.

Spinal taps are only done when you need to. To deliver pain medication, or to draw CFS in very necessary situations. A lot can go wrong sticking a needle into a spine, so the practice would never become commonplace like drawing blood is.

In order to measure your relative neurotransmitter levels, you’d need to have a “before” level when you’re healthy. That would mean routine CFS draws for everyone. Then you could compare that to the “after” when you got sick.

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