Decoding the Chemistry of Behavior: A Clinician’s Guide to the Gut-Mitochondria-Neurotransmitter Axis

This presentation synthesizes current neurochemical science with practical laboratory interpretation to empower clinicians in functional and interdisciplinary settings to optimize brain health across the lifespan. We will examine the role of dopamine and interacting neurotransmitter systems (serotonin, norepinephrine, GABA, glutamate) in shaping behaviour, mood, motivation, executive function, and reward processing, highlighting developmental and aging-related dynamics. Emphasis will be placed on clinically actionable lab measures — urine, plasma, CSF metabolites, and emerging biomarker panels — including their strengths, limitations, pre-analytic considerations, and context-specific interpretation. Case-based vignettes will illustrate how lab results integrate with clinical history, validated symptom scales, medication and supplement effects, diet, gut-brain interactions, endocrine status, and genetic predispositions to guide individualized interventions.

Learning objectives:

• Clarify the neurochemical pathways by which dopamine and co-transmitters influence cognition, emotion, and behaviour
• Identify validated laboratory assays and biomarkers relevant to neurotransmitter function and common confounders.
• Translate lab findings into differential diagnostic reasoning and prioritized, evidence-informed treatment options (nutritional, pharmacologic, and lifestyle strategies).
• Apply a lifespan framework to adapt assessment and interventions for pediatric, adult, and geriatric populations.

Attendees will leave with a practical decision-making algorithm, sample interpretation templates, and resources to incorporate neurotransmitter-focused lab data into multidisciplinary care plans, improving diagnostic precision and individualized strategies for brain-health optimization.