Serenic
Encyclopedia
A serenic, or antiaggressive agent, is a type of drug which inhibits social feelings of irritability
, aggression
, and anger
. Many commonly induce the opposite of effects as well, including empathy
, compassion
, and affection
.
A more powerful type of serenic which also produces prominent antidepressant
, anxiolytic
, and euphoriant
effects is known as an entactogen, the classic example of which is the recreational drug MDMA ("Ecstasy"), along with the other MDxx derivatives. Such agents have been known to induce feelings even as strong as love.
Most serenics (as well as entactogens) are thought to work through the monoamine (especially serotonin
) and oxytocin
neurotransmitter
systems. Examples of such agents include serotonergic
s like serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), serotonin releasing agent
s (SRAs), and 5-HT1A
agonist
s, as well as oxytocin receptor
agonists, among others. In the future, serenics may someday be developed
and utilized in the clinical treatment of anger disorders.
Irritability
Irritability is an excessive response to stimuli. The term is used for both the physiological reaction to stimuli and for the pathological, abnormal or excessive sensitivity to stimuli; It is usually used to refer to anger or frustration....
, aggression
Aggression
In psychology, as well as other social and behavioral sciences, aggression refers to behavior between members of the same species that is intended to cause humiliation, pain, or harm. Ferguson and Beaver defined aggressive behavior as "Behavior which is intended to increase the social dominance of...
, and anger
Anger
Anger is an automatic response to ill treatment. It is the way a person indicates he or she will not tolerate certain types of behaviour. It is a feedback mechanism in which an unpleasant stimulus is met with an unpleasant response....
. Many commonly induce the opposite of effects as well, including empathy
Empathy
Empathy is the capacity to recognize and, to some extent, share feelings that are being experienced by another sapient or semi-sapient being. Someone may need to have a certain amount of empathy before they are able to feel compassion. The English word was coined in 1909 by E.B...
, compassion
Compassion
Compassion is a virtue — one in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy are regarded as a part of love itself, and a cornerstone of greater social interconnection and humanism — foundational to the highest principles in philosophy, society, and personhood.There is an aspect of...
, and affection
Affection
Affection or fondness is a "disposition or rare state of mind or body" that is often associated with a feeling or type of love. It has given rise to a number of branches of philosophy and psychology concerning: emotion ; disease; influence; state of being ; and state of mind...
.
A more powerful type of serenic which also produces prominent antidepressant
Antidepressant
An antidepressant is a psychiatric medication used to alleviate mood disorders, such as major depression and dysthymia and anxiety disorders such as social anxiety disorder. According to Gelder, Mayou &*Geddes people with a depressive illness will experience a therapeutic effect to their mood;...
, anxiolytic
Anxiolytic
An anxiolytic is a drug used for the treatment of anxiety, and its related psychological and physical symptoms...
, and euphoriant
Euphoriant
A euphoriant is a type of psychoactive drug which tends to induce feelings of euphoria, the effects of which may include relaxation, anxiolysis, stress relief, mood lift, pleasure, and a rush although these effects are not necessary for a drug to be a euphoriant. Many euphoriants are notorious for...
effects is known as an entactogen, the classic example of which is the recreational drug MDMA ("Ecstasy"), along with the other MDxx derivatives. Such agents have been known to induce feelings even as strong as love.
Most serenics (as well as entactogens) are thought to work through the monoamine (especially serotonin
Serotonin
Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine is a monoamine neurotransmitter. Biochemically derived from tryptophan, serotonin is primarily found in the gastrointestinal tract, platelets, and in the central nervous system of animals including humans...
) and oxytocin
Oxytocin
Oxytocin is a mammalian hormone that acts primarily as a neuromodulator in the brain.Oxytocin is best known for its roles in sexual reproduction, in particular during and after childbirth...
neurotransmitter
Neurotransmitter
Neurotransmitters are endogenous chemicals that transmit signals from a neuron to a target cell across a synapse. Neurotransmitters are packaged into synaptic vesicles clustered beneath the membrane on the presynaptic side of a synapse, and are released into the synaptic cleft, where they bind to...
systems. Examples of such agents include serotonergic
Serotonergic
Serotonergic or serotoninergic means "related to the neurotransmitter serotonin". A synapse is serotonergic if it uses serotonin as its neurotransmitter...
s like serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), serotonin releasing agent
Serotonin releasing agent
A serotonin releasing agent is a type of drug which induces the release of serotonin from the pre-synaptic neuron into the synapse...
s (SRAs), and 5-HT1A
5-HT1A receptor
The 5-HT1A receptor is a subtype of 5-HT receptor that binds the endogenous neurotransmitter serotonin . It is a G protein-coupled receptor that is coupled to Gi/Go and mediates inhibitory neurotransmission...
agonist
Agonist
An agonist is a chemical that binds to a receptor of a cell and triggers a response by that cell. Agonists often mimic the action of a naturally occurring substance...
s, as well as oxytocin receptor
Oxytocin receptor
The oxytocin receptor, also known as OXTR, is a protein which functions as receptor for the hormone and neurotransmitter oxytocin. In humans, the oxytocin receptor is encoded by the OXTR gene., which has been localized to human chromosome 3p25....
agonists, among others. In the future, serenics may someday be developed
Drug development
Drug development is a blanket term used to define the process of bringing a new drug to the market once a lead compound has been identified through the process of drug discovery...
and utilized in the clinical treatment of anger disorders.