Posted by Eljakeo25 on December 2, 2004, at 10:41:21
The drug research should continue to intensify their efforts to produce a potent dopamine agonist. For example my disorders are tied into what is called broadly as Dopamine hypofucntion disorder (why is that one not listed in the DSM?). Disorders resulting from Dopamine hypofuntion include treatment resistent social anxiety disorder, Amotivation, Atypical depression, Attention Deficit Disorder, and other problems with executive functions such as time managment, procrastination, impulsivity disorders, boredom, fear of rejection, and decreased drive (at the same time your mind really has a passion for things, but you still don't feel like carrying them out). I have many of these problems and I am suffering from the fruits of achieving my true desire. In my case, SSRI's don't help, SNDI's help a little, wellbutrin does not help me in this situation because I don't think it's a true dopamine reuptake inhibitor. The benzo Klonopin helps also with social anxiety because your GABA neurotransmitter is closey linked to dopamine functioning. That is why the amphetamines are so effective in reliving residue social anxiety because it helps your executive functioning my speeding it up, allowing me to relax in potentially phobic situations. However with the treatment of amphetamine now for over 3 year, the drug has finally built up it's tolerace and is only effective for short periods of time.
There are basically two different dopamergenic pathways in the brain. One is cortical and other is mesostriatial (I might be wrong on the correct second pathway). Problems with the mesostriatial dopamine pathway will cause Parkinsons and problems with the cortical (projections from the brain stem->Cerebellum->Limbic system->Frontal lobes cause the executive function problems and the associated depression that does not respond well to the other classes of antidepressants. Therefore, for our type of issues I discussed we need a true dopamine agonist, that does not have the ups, downs, addiction potential, and tolerance of the amphetamines or ritilan. This agonist needs to target the cortical dopamine pathway to relieve the dopamine hypofunction disorders mentioned. And research is tough because not only do they have to develop of drug that targets this pathway, they have so many dopamine subtypes: D1 - D5. Where D1 and D2 are the most significant. And they have to becareful not to reuptake to much dopamine where you feel excessively euphoric, high, or drug induced Schizophrenia. Finally, its not a matter of not enough dopamine (thats why drugs like L-dopa don't work for this situation) There is enough dopamine in your brain (aside from the Parkisons condition), it's a matter of reuptaking that dopamine and getting the proper, theraputic amount to the frontal lobes. SO this is my suggestion from all the literature I have read on dopamine functioning and it's related disorders. Here is a little reasearch clip I found showing that they are working on dopamine agonists. Anyone who stumbled over any late breaking findings, let me know. =) Thanks for reading."Another interesting area of research is dopamine-active compounds, such as bromocriptine (Parlodel, Sandoz), pramipexole (Mirapex, Pharmacia), pergolide (Permax, Athena) and others. Clinical trials suggest potential use in augmentation/optimization of antidepressant therapy or, possibly, as single agents. Attempts are under way to identify the precise mechanisms of dopaminergic transmission in depression."
poster:Eljakeo25
thread:423323
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041201/msgs/423323.html