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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by iforgotmypassword on June 30, 2005, at 15:00:27
http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.borna.html
it seems that this could be a very important field of research. the depression they seem to document in relation to borna virus seems to be one that could be relevant to a lot of us. they explain apathy, movement problems, and an impaired dopamine system seeming to have a lot to do with the depression, and i've suspected for a long time that this is the type of depression that i struggle with so much. it's just so hard to do anything. writing messages is so extremely hard and straining, i hardly ever finish messages i start to write (sorry to all the people i dont reply to). but i suspect that a lot of people here also have this same paralysing depression. so does anyone have any more information on borna virus infection and depression?
-is there anywhere in the world (if so, preferably US and canada) that tests for borna virus infection?
-does the drug amantadine really help, and if so is it actually because of it's antiviral activity or because of it's neurochemical effects? so is it that it would just possibly help any depression without increased chance of success with a borna-induced depresssion?
thanx. :)
Posted by linkadge on June 30, 2005, at 15:11:33
In reply to borna virus, tests available? amantadine treatment, posted by iforgotmypassword on June 30, 2005, at 15:00:27
It might also explain certain so called genetic traces.
Linkadge
Posted by rod on June 30, 2005, at 16:55:58
In reply to borna virus, tests available? amantadine treatment, posted by iforgotmypassword on June 30, 2005, at 15:00:27
> http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.borna.html
>
> it seems that this could be a very important field of research. the depression they seem to document in relation to borna virus seems to be one that could be relevant to a lot of us. they explain apathy, movement problems, and an impaired dopamine system seeming to have a lot to do with the depression, and i've suspected for a long time that this is the type of depression that i struggle with so much. it's just so hard to do anything. writing messages is so extremely hard and straining, i hardly ever finish messages i start to write (sorry to all the people i dont reply to). but i suspect that a lot of people here also have this same paralysing depression. so does anyone have any more information on borna virus infection and depression?Actually the relationship of Borna and depression is very unclear. I dont know much about.. as do scientists. I do have one of the two borna virus antibodies. The one alone is more often found in negative shizophreia patients than in other diseases.
> -is there anywhere in the world (if so, preferably US and canada) that tests for borna virus infection?
Yes, sure. I made a test at a vet med university clinic. They often do this with horses and other animals. It was very cheap. ~50 euros
And this was in the heart of europe :-)> -does the drug amantadine really help, and if so is it actually because of it's antiviral activity or because of it's neurochemical effects? so is it that it would just possibly help any depression without increased chance of success with a borna-induced depresssion?
hmmm I tried Amantadine because I was "positive", but actually it didnt really help at all in the long run. there were some initial improvements, but in the end it made me just fatigued, apathic and lethargic. I guess this was due some other things amantadine is doing. nicotinic receptor antagonism is also a property of it, right? guess thats the culprit
> thanx. :)
no problem :-)
bye
Roland
Posted by linkadge on June 30, 2005, at 22:12:55
In reply to Re: borna virus, tests available? amantadine treat » iforgotmypassword, posted by rod on June 30, 2005, at 16:55:58
What makes amanatadine so special in the treatment of borna virus induced mood problems anyhow ??
Linkadge
Posted by rod on July 1, 2005, at 3:13:09
In reply to Re: borna virus, tests available? amantadine treat, posted by linkadge on June 30, 2005, at 22:12:55
> What makes amanatadine so special in the treatment of borna virus induced mood problems anyhow ??
>
>
> LinkadgeIts an antiviral agent which inhibits the reproduction of the virus. It is believed it can block the virus from entering the cell, where it would copies itself...
bye
Roland
Posted by linkadge on July 1, 2005, at 4:28:06
In reply to Re: borna virus, tests available? amantadine treat, posted by rod on July 1, 2005, at 3:13:09
If the virus has saturated your brain, can amanatadine offer any protection ?
Linkadge
Posted by rod on July 1, 2005, at 5:51:44
In reply to Re: borna virus, tests available? amantadine treat, posted by linkadge on July 1, 2005, at 4:28:06
> If the virus has saturated your brain, can amanatadine offer any protection ?
>
> Linkadgeno idea. i am no virologist :)
but I guess it will never occupy every single brain cell....
roland
Posted by linkadge on July 1, 2005, at 16:55:22
In reply to Re: borna virus, tests available? amantadine treat, posted by rod on July 1, 2005, at 5:51:44
I guess what I'm wondering is if the drug works best when given before the disease has had time to manifest itself fully.
Linkadge
Posted by rod on July 2, 2005, at 12:23:59
In reply to Re: borna virus, tests available? amantadine treat, posted by linkadge on July 1, 2005, at 16:55:22
> I guess what I'm wondering is if the drug works best when given before the disease has had time to manifest itself fully.
>
>
> LinkadgeWell, I guess you are right.
But it seems your body is able to beat the virus without the help of any drugs. All thechnical assistents working at the virology department where I made my test do have antibodies, but none of them had an acute infection at the time tested, and none of them was depressed or had any other mental disease.
In my opinion the borna and depression connection is odd.
I have talked with them for some time there and they told me they made a study a short time ago and screened all psychiatric inpatients in the major hospitals in town, and only 1 of (i think it was ~300) had an acute infection with the virus present, but this person was virus free 2 weeks after that without taking amantadine or any other conventional anti viral drug. This person has had CFS.
But an interseting thing is that the region I live in is totally borna free. Not even in animals. The only region where it is naturally found in animals is around 500km far away from me, the region "Vorarlberg". And interseting is that this region has the highest suicide rate in th ecountry. Proir knowing that I thought its the society, culture there. But maybe it is indeed the only reason. maybe.
So the big qustionmark actually is where I infected myself? I have never been to Vorarlberg. But i did have a cat from Hungary. But I dont know if the borna virus is found there.I have posted a study before (and am too lazy to look it up) where scientists believe those who just have one of the two antibodies for a borna virus proteine might have had an infection with a borna *like* virus. I guess the following years and advantages in genetic research, there will be some progress in virus and mental desease research. Right now, scientists seem to be tapping in the dark.
bye
Roland
Posted by rod on July 2, 2005, at 12:32:43
In reply to Re: borna virus, tests available? amantadine treat, posted by linkadge on July 1, 2005, at 16:55:22
Something I forgot to say.
there is a paper at pubmed where scientists claim they have found traces of the virus in the brain of dead people who were depressed.
But the scientific community doesnt believe them. Because its a routine that if you make such a study, you send samples of the tissue to other research teams in the world to get it verified. Many research teams asked them to send them the samples too, but they refused to to so.
So actually no one takes it for serious.....bye
Roland
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