Posted by NoMotic on November 25, 2003, at 21:14:04
In reply to Lar have you any knowledge about BDNF, posted by Robert Fairburn on November 25, 2003, at 16:53:44
There's a good chance you already know about what I'll say, but I'll add what I can to the topic of BDNF just in case someone out there doesn't know. I believe that all antidepressants increase BDNF, which is in part responsible for the growth of brain cells in certain key regions like the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex after 4 weeks or so of antidepressant therapy. I guess one of the theories is that serotonin or norepinephrine enhancement is kind of like a fertilizer for brain cells, and that directly modulating BDNF, rather than indirectly through standard antidepressants, is a new area of research. As I understand, stress and cortisol all lower BDNF, and this may be how cell loss occurs when humans and animals are under stress, and the depressed brain simply may be in a state of reduced cell growth due to too many toxic factors rather than in a state of growth. Increasing BDNF theoretically will override the stress induced cell loss, and BDNF "agonists", if you will, have been working in certain pre-clinical setting tests for depression, as I recall. I believe that therapies that encourage cell growth and lower stress hormone induced cell death is a very important area for future research. BDNF promoters seem to make perfect sense.
poster:NoMotic
thread:283736
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20031122/msgs/283816.html