Catecholamines, Stress, and the Reward System

Neurotransmitters act as chemical signals from our nerve endings to various target cells found in muscles, glands, and other neurons. Although there are many types of neurotransmitters, today we will focus on the catecholamines - epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Anyone who has ongoing stress or is an ‘adrenaline junkie’ can attest to the physical effects of the catecholamines. But did you know that they also play a role in our brain’s reward system to make us happy and feel good?

Listen in as we discuss the importance of catecholamines, their downstream metabolites, and why we measure them.

Today on The Lab Report:

• 2:10 What is a neurotransmitter?
• 3:25 Introduction to catecholamines
• 6:00 Dopamine and the reward system
• 8:20 Epinephrine, norepinephrine, and the stress response
• 11:30 Neurotransmitter breakdown and downstream metabolites
• 16:50 Question of the Day
  • How does caffeine affect catecholamines?

 

Additional Resources:

NutrEval

Metabolomix +

Organic Acids

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