Neurotransmitters and Learning Pt. 4: Serotonin

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is linked to our gastrointestinal systems. It affects our moods and our ability to learn and remember. When serotonin is in abundance, we are awash in feelings of well-being. Thus, serotonin is often called the "happiness hormone."
　
The best illustration of the effects of serotonin is how we feel after a big turkey dinner shared with family and friends. You know, that relaxed feeling of complete contentment. In our ancestors, serotonin was released when they were safe, a relatively rare state in our pre-historic past. Thus, when our bellies are full (i.e. we are not going to starve) and we are surrounded by loved ones (we are not going to be attacked), our bodies produce serotonin.
　
In addition, serotonin is metabolized from the amino acid tryptophan found in turkey. We also need a release of insulin caused by carbohydrates to allow this to take place. Thus, turkey dinner is great. However, many foods, including nuts, milk and spinach, have a much higher concentration of tryptophan than turkey. One of the best ways to use nutrition to support serotonin production is to have a bowl of cereal in milk, making sure that you drink all the milk. This is part of the reason why milk is recommended before bed and a big reason why a good breakfast including protein is so important to learning.
　
So, aside from giving our students milk, what can we do to leverage the power of serotonin to improve learning and well-being? Well, first of all we can make sure our classrooms are safe. When animals, including humans, sense resources are scarce or a threat is present they stop producing serotonin. Thus, we need to balance the challenges of the classroom (see norepinepherine entry) with a supportive environment.

Our classrooms and learning environments should be safe, comfortable and trusting. We should be available to our students who should in turn feel like they are in an environment of total support. Use of colours, plants, artwork, strategic seating and humour can really help with the release of serotonin. Watching fish swim in a aquarium produces serotonin, which is why fish tanks are often present in dentist offices. Most importantly, however, is how we treat our students and how they treat each other. Safety and support augment serotonin levels; scarcity and threat diminish serotonin levels. If students feel like they can succeed with their peers instead of feeling like they have to compete against them more serotonin will be available to provide a sense of well-being and improve learning.
　
Thus, serotonin balances or evens out the stimulation of norepinepherine while enhancing the drive associated with the pleasures of dopamine. Therefore, if we want our students to be driven, focused and balanced learners, we need to harness the power of these three important neurotransmitters.

Neurotransmitters Pt. 3: Norepinepherine.

Norepinepherine is another neurotransmitter that has an impact on learning. I like to think of norepinepherine as the sabre-toothed tiger neurotransmitter. Essentially, if when our ancestors were peacefully walking through the woods and a sabre-toothed tiger jumped out, norepinepherine (or adrenaline) would pump into their systems and trigger the flight or fight reflex. It would trigger an increased heart rate to pump more oxygen to the brain. It would also be the neurotransmitter used by the brain to focus all of our ancestors' senses on the threat posed by the tiger. Finally, it would create a permanent record of where and when the tiger leapt out so that the threat could be avoided in the future, provided our ancestors were not subsequently mauled by the animal.
　
Thus, norepinepherine is a neurotransmitter used to respond to stress and challenge in a more focused way. Certainly too much stress can inhibit learning. However, some stress, particularly good stress (eustress as opposed to distress) can really benefit learning by increasing attention, elevating alertness, and augmenting memory.

To harness the power of the neurotransmitter norepinepherine in the classroom, incorporate challenge and competiton. Ask your students meaningful questions and elicit their responses. Provide your students opportunities to move, perform, and interact. A four-corners activity where students move to the corner that best represents their opinion about a question posed and then come up with support points to present to the class to back up this opinion is an activity that could stimulate norepinepherine.

Compare theses two methods of review: One is to use notes to complete a worksheet independently in order to organize ideas for studying. Another is to create a Jeoprody style quiz activity based on content to be tested that students play in teams. The second activity, and the test itself, both provide challenge and stress that triggers norepinepherine release. These type of activities contribute to what I like to call "Wide-Awake Learning." They add just the right amount of sabre-toothed tiger to the classroom so that students are stimulated and engaged. In fact, of all the neurotransmitters, perhaps none contribute to fully engaged learning more than norepinepherine.

However, this does not negate the importance of the type of learning exemplified by the first review option described. This option, however, would likely result in the release of the last neurotransmitter I would like to discuss: serotonin. Stay tuned.

Neurotransmitters and Learning Pt. 1

The purpose of this and the three subsequent blog posts is to share what I have learned about the role played by neurotransmitters in relation to learning. Specifically, three particular neurotransmitters (dopamine, norepinepherine, and serotonin) are essential contributors to learning.

However, before I get into discussing each of these neurotransmitters, it is important that we understand a) how thinking happens and, b) how our brains are the product of millions of years of evolution, yet are essentially driven by the same factors as those of our hunter and gather ancestors.

So, on with the show...

We think using connections among neurons or brain cells. We have nearly 100 billion of these little guys, and they are able to create trillions of connections (Not that it matters, but a trillion is 1,000,000,000,000). The point here is that the brain has almost limitless learning capacity.

Neurons have an axon (cable) that connects to to the dendrites (hairs) of other neurons across a small gap called a synapse. Essentially, a neuron sends an electric signal down its axon which releases chemicals. These chemicals cross the synapse and attach to receptors on the dendrites of another neuron. When this happens enough times, an electric signal builds in the receiving neuron which then sends it down its axon to create another connection. Times this by thousands, even millions, and you are thinking, remembering, learning, and acting. And, the more times this happens, the more permanent the connection.

So, what does this have to do with neurotransmitters? And what are neurotransmitters anyways? Great questions!!! I'm glad you asked.
Neurotransmitters are the chemicals
that are sent across the synapse from one neuron to another. Without them, we couldn't think, act, or feel. They are made from amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and there are a whole bunch of different ones. When you think about the man or woman you love, your thoughts are mostly made out of the neurotransmitter dopamine. When you think the dark shadow in the alley ahead is a mugger, you are mostly thinking with norepinepherine. And when you listen to the soothing sounds of waves on the beach, you are thinking relaxing thoughts using serotonin. Pretty interesting, heh? Our ancestors thought so too, because they also thought and learned using these same neurotransmitters.

Let's now look at the function of each of these different neurotransmitters and their role in learning.