Posted by Mistermindmasta on December 4, 2004, at 14:02:53
In reply to Re: Whats your take on Zinc Larry, Anyone ??, posted by linkadge on December 2, 2004, at 19:57:07
> What do you mean by counterproductive ?
>
> I read an article that said that zinc had antidepressant properties. But then read another article saying it might be neurotoxic.
>
> Confused
>
> Linkadge
>
Here's the only possibility I can think of: the antidepressant properties of zinc are supposed to come from it's NMDA antagonist properties, similar to Riluzole or DXM. However, there is a phenomonem where too much NMDA antagonism can cause neurotoxicity. I can't remember how this works, exactly, but I'm thinking its along the lines of this: NMDA antagonism can raise levels of other neurotransmitters like dopamine, and I think when the levels of these other transmitters get too high, it can cause neurotoxicity. Thus, zinc could theoretically indirectly cause neurotoxicity.DXM is an antidepressant in low doses to due its NMDA antagonist properties, but in high doses it can cause neurotoxicity. I honestly don't think that zinc could ever antagonize the NMDA receptor as much as DXM, but maybe in theory it could. I just don't believe that you could ever get to such a point.
This is all just hypthesizing based on my little knowledge of the subject. I'm sure there are other possibilities of zinc induced neurotoxicity.
poster:Mistermindmasta
thread:423511
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20041123/msgs/424361.html