Serotonin,+The+System

=Serotonin =

What is Serotonin?
Serotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter and biochemically synthesized from tryptophan, serotonin is primarily found in the gastrointestinal tract, platelets and in the central nervous system. Approximately 90 percent of the human body's total serotonin is located in the gut and used to regulate intestinal movements.

Why is Serotonin Important?
Less than 10 percent of the human body's serotonin is in the brain to regulate mode, appetite and sleep. Serotonin has cognitive functions related to memory and learning. Modulation of serotonin at synapses in the brain is the primary pathway for antidepressant drugs such as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Pharmaceutical companies sell tens of billions of dollars of antidepressants in the US. Tens of millions of people take antidepressants daily.

Serotonin Synthesis
From NeuroScience Inc. website: