The greatest secret of psychiatry: the endorphins

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The Greatest Secret Of Psychiatry: The Endorphins

ALEN J Salerian  MD

April 7, 2015

  To observe that the endorphins are the most influential chemicals of  brain transmission  will not be an overstatement.

    There are many important chemicals dopamine serotonin norepinephrine, glutamate  acetyl choline GABA etc but none of them enjoys the unique properties of endorphins for brain function.

   Brain function is teamwork and no chemical can by itself dictate intellectual and emotional performance . It is also true that not all chemicals are of equal importance and or influence.

What does distinguish endorphins from other neurotransmitters?

Their dual and paradoxical influence  to enhance and inhibit  intellectual and emotional function. In the limbic brain region they counteract dopamine activation and thus show calming effect and combat anxiety and worry. Just the opposite happens in  prefrontal cortex by activating dopamine and contributing to improved concentration mood and cognition. 

   This dual paradoxical effect  is consistent with natural observations: the benefits of exercise. The popular runners high seems to be the outcome of suppressing limbic anxiety and enhancing prefrontal cortex joy and concentration by intense exercise inducing greater endorphin production.

One of the reasons we have not fully benefited  from our knowledge about endorphins is misinformation rooted in prejudice and ignorance. 
   It does not help that our laws  and scientific knowledge are not always friends. 
  In America DEA is in charge of neuroscience and what NIH could say or do. The end result is even the most fantastic discoveries in neuroscience must be first cleared by a policeman. This is not an exaggeration this is a simple fact of life in America in 2015.

    We may be waiting for long time for endorphins to be properly studied and introduced into combating psychiatric disorders. Of course this will all depend on doctors educating the rest of the country of the unique properties of endorphins.