Neurotransmitter Testing: Exploring the Body's Chemical Messengers
Did you know that neurotransmitters play important roles in everything from mood and motivation to attention, sleep, and the body's response to stress?
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that help cells communicate with one another. You've probably heard of serotonin and dopamine, but they're just two of the many substances involved in our bodies' complex communication systems.
Through my affiliation with the Machemehl Method Institute, I offer access to the Neuro Focus 2, a noninvasive urine test that measures several neurotransmitters and related substances, including serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, GABA, glutamate, and histamine.
The laboratory provides a report of these measurements, which families can review as part of a broader conversation about their child's health.
There is an important distinction, however. Although these substances can be measured in urine, the results do not directly tell us what is happening with neurotransmitters in the brain. For that reason, results must be considered thoughtfully, alongside a child's symptoms, developmental history, daily habits, and medical evaluation.
My goal is never to reduce a child's experience to a laboratory number. It's to remain curious about the many interconnected factors that may be influencing how they feel.