Posted by g_g_g_unit on September 23, 2009, at 6:08:10
i was just curious whether it's productive to consider executive function issues apart from depression in terms of etiology - i.e. whether they require some specific kind of treatment, or if depression itself can cause prefrontal hypofunction, and its relief (by whatever means - SSRI's, etc.) should help functioning?
most of my issues look like the negative symptoms of schizophrenia - no real affect unless faked, a general slowness that makes conversation hard, the desire to avoid people (and feeling quite content being alone), an empty-minded feeling, concentration difficulties. but i don't really get any psychomotor retardation - in fact, i often feel really fidgety and restless.
i was wondering if it's pointless to think of this as a 'low dopamine' depression? if it's just a shade of depression that can be caused by anything, or if there's some path i should be taking? i guess i'm just wondering if Parnate is the right way to go, or if i should be looking at something more receptor specific like the atypical AP's.
my EF issues seem to get more severe with time, and make it hard to stick with a treatment, since i can't really 'plan' or commit to a decision. there were some days on Memantine where i felt completely normal - calm and able to make decisions that 'felt right', but it wasn't very consistent in effect. i often feel like if my executive + social function improved, my depression would lift, but again is that just a chicken/egg thing?
poster:g_g_g_unit
thread:918139
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090921/msgs/918139.html