"Using up" vital neurochemicals

[Renz Envy]

Serotonin is needed for everyday life. It controls a lot more than merely happiness and euphoria. It's known to connect parts of the brain to each other and aid with everyday things like speech and walking...

So when people say they've "used up" their serotonin, it makes me wonder. Could it possibly be that their binge rolling has caused them to create a brick-wall tolerance to mdma? Or perhaps adrenal fatigue from surging norepinephrine?

I want to know the truth here. I'm sick of hearing people saying they've rolled out all of their serotonin when I know that can't be possible, otherwise they wouldn't be able to function. E would be like a temporary frontal-lobe lobotomy.

 

[fernsal1]

it is impossible to use up all your serotonin from e abuse. The reason people can't achieve the same affects as before is because of down regulation of the 5-ht receptors. After long periods of abstinence they do up regulate but also rewiring occurs.

 

[somedud]

^ not just down regulation, but serotgenic destruction.

 

[chitown rollin]

serotonin replenishes itself, science proves this. Your receptors may "shut down" for a period of time after heavy use, but they will "open up" again eventually. (downregulation and upregulation)

 

[First Bad Comedown]

Chitown is right.
The body will eventually restore the chemical, serotonin.
Most of it lies in your intestines, so you cannot simply use it ALL.
But the synthesis of more serotonin is disrupted by MDMA and it can deplete the brain's stored supply severely.

The serotonin cell body survives, but some of the axons sprouting off the cell body do not.
Many receptors will recover, but some do not.
Brain regions distant from the brain stem tend to recover less density, while closer regions may be hyper-innervated. Over extremely long periods of time (years) these distant regions continue to restore limited innervation, although it is believed that this recovery will never resemble original patterns.

However, looking at one set of nerves and its receptors does not tell the whole story.
The brain is resilient and plastic. It may be impossible for us to assign a definitive set of consequences to these abnormal innervation patterns.

Moderate dosing is unlikely to have such a severe effect.
It is re-dosing and repeated rolling without spacing that will cause long-term degradation of receptors.

 

[Lady Codone]

I'm no pharmacologist, but am pretty sure that all drugs produce tolerance when used repeatedly/frequently.

The brain is highly complex. People who understand the physical processes that occur on drugs like MDMA don't necessarily know how those processes affect actual functioning. This story describes a man with a genetic mutation who had virtually NO serotonin or dopamine and was neither depressed nor mentally retarded. Only mild cognitive impairment, sleep disruption and overeating. Not bad for someone who lacks the coveted "happy" chemicals around which modern psychiatry revolves.

Serotonin is synthesized from tryptophan, an amino acid found in high-protein foods like meat, nuts and dairy. Other substances like vitamin D also play a role in serotonin production, so watch your diet if you're concerned about serotonin loss.