The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

Early I interviewed, Cheyenne Feltz, DNP PMHNP-BC, the most recent provider at the Big Sandy Medical Center. Feltz is the new mental health provider, who is a Board Certified (BC) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) with a Doctor of Nursing (DNP). After the interview she gave me a sheet that I found extremely interesting. I knew nothing about Neurotransmitter. After reading this sheet it frustrates me to hear people say we should all just “buck up” or pull ourselves up by our boot straps. So many of the issues of my friends could be helped with the following information and a visit to Cheyenne Feltz.

The following information is taken directly from the information she gave me: “Neurotransmitters---there are over 100 neurotransmitter in the body, with more being discovered regularly. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that your body can’t function without. Their job is to carry chemic messages from one neuron to the next target cell. They regulate everything from your heart rate and breathing to movement, memory, sleep, mood, digestion, and understanding the world around us. There are the major neurotransmitters that have the great impact on most mental illnesses.”

“Adrenaline regulates the “fight or flight” response, elevated blood pressure and heart rate, stimulate wakefulness and reduce digestive activity. Too much adrenaline can result in high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and block the other neurotransmitters from functioning normally.”

“Dopamine is regarded as the brain’s pleasure and reward center, plays the central role in addiction, improves attention, focus and motivation, mood, and modulates movement control. Many highly addictive drugs directly impact the dopamine can cause hallucinations.”

“Norepinephrine is most widely known for its effects on alertness, arousal, decision-making attention and focus. It plays a role in the “flight or fight” system with Adrenaline and increased heart rate and blood pressure to improve decision-making. Mediations that increase this neurotransmitter are used to tread ADHD and depressive symptoms.”

“Serotonin is generally regarded as the “happiness molecule” contributes to the feeling of calm and wellbeing that eases depression and anxiety, supports sleep, helps modulate pain, impacts libido, and decreases appetite.”

“Gaba functions as the “off” switch in the brain. It’s the major inhibitory neurotransmitter that improves mood, relieves anxiety and promotes sleep. Medications that impact GABA may be used to help with irritability, anxiety, depression, and seizures.”

“Glutamate functions as the “on” switch in the brain. It’s the major excitatory neurotransmitter that decreases sleep, optimizes learning, memory and mood and a improves libido. Imbalances in glutamate are associated with dementias, Parkinson’s, and seizures. Alcohol abuse blocks glutamate from working.”

“Acetylcholine is released by most neurons in your autonomic nervous system regulating heart rate, blood pressure and gut motility. Acetylcholine plays a role in muscle contractions, memory, motivation, sexual desire, sleep and learning.”

“Endorphins play a role in our perception of pain. Release of endorphins reduce pain, as well, as causes “feel good” feelings. Endorphins are released during healthy activities such as exercise, eating, meditation, and music/art.”