Massive research has been undertaken to identify biological causes of mental illness.  Business enterprises exist purporting to measure neurotransmitter substances with the intent of guiding drug or nutritional therapies to alter the body’s neurochemical production.  I have long been dubious about this testing, seeing no predictable benefit.  A similar opinion was offered in JAMA, June 22-29, 2011, page 2580:

“…there is precious little evidence that serotonin, the depressogenic substance in fashion, has anything to do with depression either.”

Walter A. Brown, MD, Dept of psychiatry, Warren Albert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island

Allan Sosin, MD