What are catecholamines and how do they affect the central nervous system?
Catecholamines are sympathomimetic “fight-or-flight” hormones that are released by the adrenal glands in response to stress. They are part of the sympathetic nervous system. They are called catecholamines because they contain a catechol group, and are derived from the amino acid tyrosine. The most abundant catecholamines are epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and dopamine, all of which are produced from phenylalanine and tyrosine.
