Biogenic amine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A biogenic amine is a biogenic substance with an amine group. Some prominent examples of biogenic amines include:

• Histamine - a substance derived from the amino acid histidine that acts as a neurotransmitter mediating arousal and attention, as well as a pro-inflammatory signal released from mast cells in response to allergic reactions or tissue damage
• Tyramine - a substance that is found in many common foods, and is associated with increased blood pressure and headaches
• Serotonin - a central nervous system neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood, sleep, appetite, and sexuality
• The three catecholamine neurotransmitters:
  • Norepinephrine (noradrenaline) - a neurotransmitter involved in sleep and wakefulness, attention, and feeding behavior, as well as a stress hormone released by the adrenal glands that regulates the sympathetic nervous system
  • Epinephrine (adrenaline) - an adrenal stress hormone, as well as a neurotransmitter present at lower levels in the brain
  • Dopamine - a neurotransmitter involved in motivation, reward, addiction, behavioral reinforcement, and coordination of bodily movement

[edit] External links

• The Biogenic Amines - Neuroscience 2nd edition, Dale Purves et al