Monoamine Hypothesis

Okay, kiddo, so there's these things in our brains called neurotransmitters and they help our brain cells talk to each other. One kind of neurotransmitter is called monoamines, which include chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.

Scientists think that if there's something wrong with the levels of these monoamines in our brain, it might cause some mental health problems like depression or anxiety. This is called the monoamine hypothesis.

Think of it like a car engine. If the engine doesn't have enough gas, it might not work as well or even stop completely. Similarly, if our brain doesn't have enough of these monoamines, it might start to feel sad or anxious.

Doctors and scientists have created medications that can help balance out these levels of monoamines in the brain, which can help improve mood and other symptoms of mental health problems.