Serotonin syndrome is a life-threatening condition where poisonous amounts of serotonin are present in your body. The causes of serotonin syndrome include taking excessive amounts of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a type of antidepressant. Also, certain migraine medications may cause the same effect as these medications affect serotonin concentrations. Developing a serotonin electrochemical sensor would introduce a definitive test for this syndrome as today, doctors only evaluate for the syndrome by eliminating other causes. Made from affordable screen-printed electrodes using filter paper and carbon paste, a circuit composed of different components would function to measure the levels of serotonin present in the blood. When serotonin levels exceed a threshold, an LED light illuminates, giving the patient a formal diagnosis of serotonin syndrome.
Subjects: electrochemistry, electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, biopsychology
