What neurotransmitter is most commonly associated with psychosis?

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter most commonly associated with psychosis, particularly in the context of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Research has shown that abnormal dopamine signaling plays a critical role in the development and manifestation of psychotic symptoms. The dopamine hypothesis suggests that overactivity of dopamine transmission, especially in certain brain regions such as the mesolimbic pathway, can lead to positive symptoms of psychosis, which include delusions and hallucinations.

Understanding dopamine's role is important because many antipsychotic medications target dopamine receptors to alleviate these symptoms, highlighting its centrality in psychotic disorders. While other neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA are involved in mood regulation and other psychological functions, their direct association with psychosis is less pronounced than that of dopamine. This distinction underscores the importance of dopamine in the neurobiology of psychosis, making it a key focus in both research and treatment approaches.