<p>How are the effects of drugs in the brain, in terms of neurotransmitters measured? For example, Selective Seretonin Reuptake Inhibitors are a class of anti-depressants. How was and is this type of information about hor neurotransmitters act obtained?</p>

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2015-11-11T13:39:52.253Z
It is unclear what you're asking.
jona
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2015-11-11T14:10:09.293Z
I mean what tools or techniques are used to measure these types of things? Like if a drug releases dopamine, it's not just a wild guess there must have been a way to come to that conclusion. To know which receptors it activates and all that.
Chris 
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2015-11-11T14:11:28.803Z
I spent like 10min looking around on google and couldn't find anything. Then came here.
Chris 
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2015-11-11T14:34:08.427Z
I'm not sure there are many drugs that "take up" or "activate" dopamine by the way.
jona
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2015-11-11T20:44:11.673Z
I made a pretty big edit, let me know if it gets to the core of what you wanted to ask.
Seanny123
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2015-11-11T23:51:05.967Z
Yeah that's basically what I am asking. You said it clearer that what I wrote. Like is this with some sort of scanning device or is it a Theory from cutting open the brain and looking at it with a microscope?
Chris 
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2015-11-12T06:08:57.173Z
I remember to have read somewhere that they do the measurement from gut but not sure
CuriousSuperhero
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2015-11-12T10:03:51.207Z
I'd recommend this previous answer which, I think, answers most of your questions. Surprisingly, many drugs are discovered by accident and their mechanisms are often worked out in the lab, or in animals, rather than in vivo. http://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/1748/which-neurotransmitters-can-be-measured-in-a-living-human-brain?rq=1
splint
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-16T01:49:12.377Z
look up "microdialysis"
honi
<neuroscience>
Neurotransmitter detection in the brain
Chris 
# Neurotransmitter detection in the brain

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-11-11)

How are the effects of drugs in the brain, in terms of neurotransmitters measured? For example, Selective Seretonin Reuptake Inhibitors are a class of anti-depressants. How was and is this type of information about hor neurotransmitters act obtained?

**Tags:** neuroscience

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It is unclear what you're asking.  
> **username_0**: I mean what tools or techniques are used to measure these types of things? Like if a drug releases dopamine, it's not just a wild guess there must have been a way to come to that conclusion. To know which receptors it activates and all that.  
> **username_0**: I spent like 10min looking around on google and couldn't find anything. Then came here.  
> **username_1**: I'm not sure there are many drugs that "take up" or "activate" dopamine by the way.  
> **username_2**: I made a pretty big edit, let me know if it gets to the core of what you wanted to ask.  
> **username_0**: Yeah that's basically what I am asking. You said it clearer that what I wrote. Like is this with some sort of scanning device or is it a Theory from cutting open the brain and looking at it with a microscope?  
> **username_3**: I remember to have read somewhere that they do the measurement from gut but not sure  
> **username_4**: I'd recommend this previous answer which, I think, answers most of your questions. Surprisingly, many drugs are discovered by accident and their mechanisms are often worked out in the lab, or in animals, rather than in vivo. http://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/1748/which-neurotransmitters-can-be-measured-in-a-living-human-brain?rq=1  
> **username_5**: look up "microdialysis"  

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## 0 answers

