| Nucleus |
Neuro-
transmitter |
Medication |
Location |
Clinical Relevance |
| Locus coeruleus |
NE |
Tofranil, Nardil, Xanax, Inderal, Depakote |
Brain stem |
Panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (full activation), arousal, anxiety, learning (moderate activation) |
| Amygdala |
DA ACH |
Anticonvulsants, antipsychotics |
Limbic system |
Involved in control of emotional tone. Implicated in inappropriate rage, fear, sexuality, seizures |
| Suprachiasmatic nucleus |
5-HT EAA GABA |
SSRIs |
Hypothalamus |
Internal pacemaker. Possibly involved in seasonal and nonseasonal affective disorders. |
| Solitary nucleus |
NE 5-HT(?) |
Tofranil, Nardil, Inderal, SSRIs |
Brain stem |
Involved in suffocation alarm theory of panic disorder. |
| Dorsal raphe |
5-HT |
BuSpar, Klonopin, SSRIs |
Brain stem |
Involved in decreasing anxiety. Site of action of Buspar |
| Corpus striatum (basal ganglia) |
DA |
Antipsychotics, L-DOPA |
Cerebral hemispheres |
Mediates involuntary muscle movement, tone. Site of Parkinson's disease, medication side effects. Involved in affective disorders and OCD. |
| Hypothalamus |
NE DA 5-HT EAA |
Almost all psychotropics |
Immediately above the brain stem |
Directs homeostasis, mind-body link, interface of nerve, hormone, and immune systems. Regulates autonomic nervous system. |
| Accumbens |
DA |
Antipsychotics |
Limbic system |
Mediates the reinforcing properties of drugs of abuse. Involved in deficit schizophrenia. |