Catecholamines, Plasma

Catecholamine hormones are produced by the brain, adrenal glands, and nerve tissues. The body releases these hormones as a response to physical and emotional stress. They are responsible for the body's "fight-or-flight" response. Primary examples of catecholamine are adrenaline, dopamine, and noradrenaline.

Usually, high or low levels of catecholamine levels can cause severe medical issues. Based on the extremities of the levels, they can indicate serious underlying medical problems. Normal catecholamine levels facilitate the following biological functions:

• When neurotransmitters send signals through the nervous system, dopamine helps regulate emotions, movement, memory, and the brain's reward mechanism.
• The neurotransmitter sends the signals for the fight-or-flight response when an individual experiences stress. Under such circumstances, the body releases adrenaline to increase blood flow to muscles, lungs, and heart. 
• Noradrenaline helps the body respond and react to stress. It increases an individual’s heart rate and blood pressure. Moreover, it also stimulates mood regulation and concentration ability.

Underlying health issues usually causes abnormal catecholamine levels. In such cases, your physician will recommend a catecholamine plasma test. It will help in determining certain tumours, such as neuroblastoma or neuroendocrine tumour.

Neuroblastoma tumour is a type of cancer in specific nerve cells and neuroblasts. This cancer mostly develops inside the nerve tissues that run alongside the spinal cord or an adrenal gland. Moreover, it can also increase catecholamine levels. 

This type of cancer rarely occurs in children over the age of ten. It mainly affects infants. Children may experience:

• Watery diarrhoea 
• Bluish skin
• Fever
• High blood pressure
• Abdominal mass
• Abdominal bloating
• Bulging eyes

Neuroendocrine tumours are the ones that develop from cells in the hormonal and nervous systems. They can result in very high catecholamine levels. Pheochromocytomas are types of neuroendocrine tumours that are present in adrenal glands.

Around 80-85% of pheochromocytomas develop in the inner layer of the adrenal glands. The remaining grow outside this area. People suffering from this type of tumour may experience symptoms such as:

• Anxiety
• Tingling in the fingers and toes
• Heart palpitations
• Constipation

These symptoms may worsen as the tumour grows and can cause possible damage to the kidneys and heart. Your doctor may prescribe you a catecholamine plasma test to determine the catecholamine levels in your body.

At Apollo 24|7, you can opt for a catecholamine plasma test if you frequently experience the following signs:

• Digestive issues
• Anxiety and agitation
• Delusions
• Schizophrenia
• Psychosis
• Nausea
• Excess saliva

Several medications can affect your catecholamine levels and their testing. Medicines such as aspirin, insulin, blood pressure medicines, epinephrine, antidepressant imipramine, etc., can affect these levels.

The treatment for high or low catecholamine levels depends on the underlying cause of the circumstances. Your doctor will order a suitable treatment plan based on the results of your tests.