Neurokeemia

Neurokeemia is a medical term that within some sources refers to the presence or measurement of neuroactive substances in the bloodstream. The term is not widely used as a formal diagnosis in modern clinical practice, and in many English-language references it is considered obscure or historical. When it appears, neurokeemia may denote either the systemic appearance of metabolites derived from neural tissue or the detection of neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, or other neural signaling molecules in plasma or serum. The word combines neuro- (nerve) with -keemia, a form related to -emia meaning a condition of the blood.

In practice, neurokeemia is not synonymous with central nervous system activity, because peripheral sources and the blood–brain barrier complicate interpretation. Measuring neurotransmitters in blood can be influenced by release from platelets and peripheral nerves, gut tissue, and rapid metabolism. As a result, there are no widely accepted diagnostic criteria or treatment approaches specific to neurokeemia.

In research contexts, interest often lies in neurochemical components of blood as part of broader neurochemical profiling. Studies may examine catecholamines, serotonin, neuropeptides, and other biomarkers associated with neurological or psychiatric conditions, but these measurements are usually described as peripheral neurochemistry rather than as a distinct condition called neurokeemia.

See also: neurometabolites, neurotransmitter testing, neurochemical biomarkers. Further study continues to explore how peripheral neurochemistry relates to central nervous system function.