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// Neurology // 10.15.2008
Unlocking Brain Chemistry: Why Mood and Behavior Change with the Seasons
Scientists have recently discovered that a brain chemical that works to reduce levels of the mood-regulating hormone serotonin around brain cells is more active during the darkest months of the year.
While it had been established that mood and other physiological functions – energy levels, eating habits, sexual activity, and sleep tendencies followed a seasonal pattern – the underlying mechanism behind seasonal shifts in brain chemistry was not understood until the conclusion of this study.
Researchers examined brain PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scans to explore the link between the brain chemical 5-HTT serotonin transporter (which plays a key role in regulating serotonin levels and signals) and the seasons.
During the darker months, 5-HTT levels in individuals scanned were higher in all brain regions than in those scanned during the lighter months; as average daily sunshine levels decreased, 5-HTT levels increased.
This interaction may explain why some people feel less energetic and/or less happy during the winter, and may be important in furthering our understanding of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and why it afflicts some, but not all, of us.
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