5. Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
There are a number of different types of drugs and medications that can cause serotonin syndrome as we have seen. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) also belong on this list.
These are drugs that are used to treat a number of different mood disorders, as well as Parkinson’s disease. They work by preventing the production of monoamine oxidase which is responsible for breaking down numerous other substances and neurotransmitters in the body and brain, including – you guessed it – serotonin.
The result, of course, is that more serotonin becomes available to the brain – but if this goes too far, then you begin to see those unwanted and potentially dangerous symptoms of serotonin syndrome.