LESSON 6 THE ROLE OF NEUROTRANSMITTERS IN ACHIEVEING ACADEMIC SUCCESS UNDER CONSTRUCTION Presented by THE NATURAL SYSTEMS INSTITUTE

The Interaction Between: Neurotransmitters, Brain, Behavior, and Sense of Well Being Within Types of Environments By Ed Young, Ph.D.

copyright, ed young, PhD 3 THE HUMAN BRAIN AND THE INTERACTIONS AND TRANSITIONS BETWEEN NEUROTRANSMITTERS BRAIN FRONTAL LOBE Right Hemisphere BRAIN FRONTAL LOBE Left Hemisphere

copyright, ed young, PhD 4 Function and Relations of Principle Neurotransmitters ADRENALINE ENDORPHINS Anger, Fear, Excitemen t, Agitated Depression Successfu l, Goal Oriented, Mental and/or Physical Activity Vigorous Physical Exercise or Activity Sleep, Depressio n, Boredom, Fatigue, Immo- bilization Awake, Active, Alert, Excited, Angry, Anxious SEROTONIN ACETYCHOLINE DOPAMINE Neurotransmitters Below Are Related to Functions Listed Above

copyright, ed young, PhD 5 Principle Neurotransmitters Involves In Interaction Between Brain, Behavior, And Sense Of Well Being BRAIN and BRAIN CHEMISTRY SEROTONIN DOPAMINE ADRENALINE* ACETYCHOLINEACETYCHOLINE ENDORPHINS *adrenaline is a neurocrine or hormone influencing the brain

copyright, ed young, PhD 6 ACETYCHOLINE and BEING AWAKE and ALERT I. ACETYCHOLINE and BEING AWAKE and ALERT: INTERACTIONS AND TRANSITIONS BETWEEN NEUROTRANSMITTERS BRAIN FRONTAL LOBE ACETYCHOLINE ACETYCHOLINEACETYCHOLINE ALERT ACETYCHOLINE ACETYCHOLINEACETYCHOLINE ACETYCHOLINEACETYCHOLINE

copyright, ed young, PhD 7 BRAIN FRONTAL LOBE II. DOPAMINE SENSE OF WELL BEING AND III. ADRENALINE EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: ACETYCHOLINE ACETYCHOLINEACETYCHOLINE ALERT DOPAMINE ACETYCHOLINE ACETYCHOLINEACETYCHOLINE ACETYCHOLINEACETYCHOLINE ADRENALINE

copyright, ed young, PhD 8 BRAIN FRONTAL LOBE ACETYCHOLINE ACETYCHOLINEACETYCHOLINE ALERT DOPAMINE ACETYCHOLINE ACETYCHOLINEACETYCHOLINE ACETYCHOLINEACETYCHOLINE ADRENALINE FRONTAL LOBE BRAIN ENDORPHINSENDORPHINS IV. ENDORPHINS: OVERCOMING PAIN AND FATIGUE

copyright, ed young, PhD 9 BRAIN FRONTAL LOBE V. SEROTONIN: SLEEP, TRANQUILITY ACETYCHOLINE ACETYCHOLINEACETYCHOLINE ALERT DOPAMINE ACETYCHOLINE ACETYCHOLINEACETYCHOLINE ACETYCHOLINEACETYCHOLINE ADRENALINE Serotonin SerotoninSerotonin SerotoninSerotonin SerotoninSerotonin SerotoninSerotonin

copyright, ed young, PhD 10 Interactions Between the Environment, Neurotransmitters, and Health and Wellbeing A threat filled environment elicits adrenaline and reduces serotonin leading to hyperactivity, sleeplessness, suspiciousness, hostility, impulsiveness, ruminations, and eventually to extreme fatigue and illness. Serotonin Sleep, Depression, Boredom, Fatigue, Immo- bilization Acetylcholine Awake, Active, Alert, Excited, Angry, Anxious Adrenaline Anger, Fear, Excitement, Agitated Depression Adrenaline Anger, Fear, Excitement, Agitated Depression Dopamine Successful, Goal Oriented, Mental and/or Physical Activity An environment that elicits: Competition, Adventure, Romance, Positive-high-risk- goal seeking lead to exhilaration, ecstasy, lack of awareness of time, feeling no pain. Taken to excess, this can lead to illness. Adrenaline Anger, Fear, Excitement, Agitated Depression Endorphins Vigorous Physical Exercise or Activity An environment that generates adrenaline accompanied by vigorous physical activity results in a loss of feelings of pain. Without activity, there is an acute awareness of pain. In excess can lead to illness Endorphins Vigorous Physical Exercise or Activity Dopamine Successful, Goal Oriented, Mental and/or Physical Activity Endorphins Vigorous Physical Exercise or Activity Acetylcholine Awake, Active, Alert, Excited, Angry, Anxious An environment that promotes: Being awake, alert and goal oriented toward positive mental and/or physical activity leads to serenity, satisfaction, lack of awareness of time or pain, integration within and with the environment, and good health. Dopamine Successful, Goal Oriented, Mental and/or Physical Activity

copyright, ed young, PhD 11 Implications for Treatment Given the model just presented, what do we treat? –Do we treat the brain chemistry? –Do we treat the personality dynamics? –Do we treat the observable emotional and behavioral symptoms? –Do we treat the people and social structures in the person’s environment? What happens if we treat only one or two of the above factors? What happens if we treat all factors in one comprehensive approach? The Natural Approach used by the Natural Systems Institute is designed to treat all simultaneously.