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Question 44

If a person is suffering from the deficiency of nor-adrenaline, what kind of drug can be suggested?

Nor-adrenaline, also written as $$\text{norepinephrine}$$, is one of the major excitatory neurotransmitters in the brain. We have the basic physiological fact that an adequate concentration of this chemical is required to maintain normal alertness, mood, and emotional balance.

When the level of $$\text{nor-adrenaline}$$ falls below its normal range, the electrical activity between neurons slows down, so the person often experiences prolonged sadness, loss of interest, fatigue, and other classical signs of depression. Therefore a therapy that can raise the synaptic concentration of this neurotransmitter is needed.

Now, the class of drugs that is specifically designed to elevate the amounts of mood-related neurotransmitters such as $$\text{nor-adrenaline}$$ and $$\text{serotonin}$$ in the synaptic cleft is called antidepressants. These medicines either inhibit the re-uptake of the neurotransmitter (for example, tricyclic antidepressants or SNRIs) or prevent its enzymatic degradation (for example, MAO inhibitors), thereby allowing more $$\text{nor-adrenaline}$$ to remain available for neuronal signaling.

Substituting this pharmacological reasoning into the present question, we see that the drug suggested for a deficiency of $$\text{nor-adrenaline}$$ must fall under the category that directly counters depression—namely, an antidepressant.

Hence, the correct answer is Option B.

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