2 replies to this topic

[SoundsAboutRight]

If you know that you have low dopamine and low serotonin how does on confirm whether the receptors themselves are downregulated or upregulated? Can't low neurotransmitters correlate to both upregulation and downregulation of their specific receptor?

 

[Shai Hulud]

There's no way to measure receptor up or down regulation in a living person.

If your dopamine or serotonin levels were low one would expect the receptors to upregulate in response.

The only way of getting really close to knowing levels of these substances are low is measurement of their metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid.
This can also be done in urine, which is way less accurate, but you'll see tendencies

[jack black]

The only possible way is by using brain scans with specific ligands, only used in research IIRC.