Hello all,
This is my first post but I have been lurking for awhile. I'm a 34 y/o female with severe rls. I've tried several different drug therapies and have not have much luck with any.
I've been reading through the posts this evening and I came across one that had some information about seratonin (please excuse my spelling if it is incorrect, I'm exhausted and can't tell if I spelled it right) levels in people with rls. I believe the post mentioned that our levels are normal in the morning whereas people without rls have normal levels in the evening. I've read so many posts tonight and cannot find the one I wanted to respond to. I think the 'poster' was Ann - although I'm not sure.
Anyway, my question is this...does anyone know where I can get more information on this? It sounds like it has something to do with our circadian rhythm, and if so, can it be reset with time so that our levels are more in line with those that do not have rls? Any information on this would be appreciated - I'm just trying to make a little more sense of this disease.
Thanks,
Ellie
question re: normal seratonin levels in am
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ViewsAskew
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Hi Ellie,
It was about dopamine, not serotonin. The research has shown that we actually create an excess in the morning, so then the brain completely stops producing it. By evening, we have stopped making it. In the early morning, the brain realizes we are very low, so it again starts making a lot of it. The researchers have called it a regulation issue. It's not really related to circadian rhythm, per se. They think that this is why taking the dopamine agonists at night is helpful for many of us.
This is all related to issues in the substantia nigra. This portion of our brain has problems with iron and dopamine. Some of our cells aren't functioning correctly because ot the iron insufficiency. Our brains are not getting the iron they need, nor are they able to use what little they have.
If you search on dopamine or iron and go through those posts, you'll find links to articles and research. There are also a lot of great links in the New to RLS? sticky posts. These are the best place to start to get a sense of what is going on in our bodies. Unfortunately, there isn't one place to go to read it all.
Glad you have de-lurked
. Hope to see you posting around.
Ann
It was about dopamine, not serotonin. The research has shown that we actually create an excess in the morning, so then the brain completely stops producing it. By evening, we have stopped making it. In the early morning, the brain realizes we are very low, so it again starts making a lot of it. The researchers have called it a regulation issue. It's not really related to circadian rhythm, per se. They think that this is why taking the dopamine agonists at night is helpful for many of us.
This is all related to issues in the substantia nigra. This portion of our brain has problems with iron and dopamine. Some of our cells aren't functioning correctly because ot the iron insufficiency. Our brains are not getting the iron they need, nor are they able to use what little they have.
If you search on dopamine or iron and go through those posts, you'll find links to articles and research. There are also a lot of great links in the New to RLS? sticky posts. These are the best place to start to get a sense of what is going on in our bodies. Unfortunately, there isn't one place to go to read it all.
Glad you have de-lurked
. Hope to see you posting around.
Ann
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest
Managing Your RLS
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.
Managing Your RLS
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.
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ellie
Ellie,
It is a rotten disease isn't it! So happy you have joined us and look forward to hearing about your progress. Ann and so many of the others are a wealth of information and support! They have helped me so many times I can't count!
Hazel
It is a rotten disease isn't it! So happy you have joined us and look forward to hearing about your progress. Ann and so many of the others are a wealth of information and support! They have helped me so many times I can't count!
Hazel
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation.
Music can be made anywhere, is invisible and does not smell. --W H Auden
Music can be made anywhere, is invisible and does not smell. --W H Auden