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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by aaaaalex on July 8, 2008, at 2:21:47
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/07/06/head_fake/
Very interesting read (sorry if this is a repost), though it raises more questions than it answers. If anyone has links to the full studies, I'd love to see them.
Posted by SLS on July 8, 2008, at 5:03:05
In reply to boston globe article on SSRI method of action, posted by aaaaalex on July 8, 2008, at 2:21:47
Good find!
It is hard to believe that these investigators are looking at the whole picture. Their theory sounds to me to be as overly simplistic as are some of the others that have been floating around for years.
> http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/07/06/head_fake/
>
> Very interesting read (sorry if this is a repost), though it raises more questions than it answers. If anyone has links to the full studies, I'd love to see them.I sometimes wonder if the shrinking of certain brain structures isn't a true atrophy; a consequence of the disease rather than a cause. Perhaps depression dysregulates circuits upstream, leading to downstream inactivity. If this inactivity were allowed to persist for years, I imagine there would be at least a few areas of the brain that shrink due to a lack of stimulation. I suspect that the hippocampus is one such area.
Just a thought.
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on July 8, 2008, at 12:01:12
In reply to Re: boston globe article on SSRI method of action, posted by SLS on July 8, 2008, at 5:03:05
It explains to me why excercise even if only 7 miles of bike riding daily leaves me emotionally feeling better. And Stress in my case which is constant criticism immediatedly leads to feeling worthless and anxious. I just wish I was a morning person as then I could excercise early. But for my whole life haven't ever felt even half way awake till late in the afternoon. Also explains why I lost my taste and smell over 4 years ago. I have always felt that stress leads to depression and if the cells shrink in response to stress that explains that theory of mine. Thanks for the article. Phillipa
Posted by ihatedrugs on July 10, 2008, at 0:23:46
In reply to boston globe article on SSRI method of action, posted by aaaaalex on July 8, 2008, at 2:21:47
So I guess we'll need to start seeing a Neurologist now.
Now my question is how does ECT fall into this theory.. Does it stimulate the brain to create new neurons?
Posted by yxibow on July 10, 2008, at 2:51:35
In reply to Re: boston globe article on SSRI method of action, posted by ihatedrugs on July 10, 2008, at 0:23:46
> So I guess we'll need to start seeing a Neurologist now.
>
> Now my question is how does ECT fall into this theory.. Does it stimulate the brain to create new neurons?
There's an incredible subdepartment of neurology clinics at an institution near me -- probably over 60 types.
Diagnosis and treatment of some disorders are progressing but still largely neurology is a research tool -- a large majority of neurologists spend time in research.
I have an oral tic, probably caused by a medication I still need to take for my functionality -- it was, after an exhaustive 3 hours and input from residents decided to be a non tardive phenomenon.
In fact, its very linked to psychological issues, as I just had another episode while thinking about it.
But my experience while thorough and definitely with a person who studies a lot in his field -- my main visual disorder baffled all of them (which created a lot of emotional pain as I am probably the only person in North America with this constellation of psychiatric, who knows, neuropsychiatric disorder(s)), and in the end the primary issue at hand had few clinically valid options for treatment.
It was a necessary step to take to have a diagnosis, but as noted, not a lot of neurological diagnoses have pleasant outcomes. While giving me insight, it also gave me a lot of emotional pain.
I know there are other medications that can be given for such a situation like alternating Botox (primarily A) and other dopamine agonists (which can cause serious psychosis), but the situation really has to be "bad" (god help me what bad is).
Neurology, like psychology is in its infant, medieval stages. Some (potentially and realistically fatal) neurological disorders have fast tracked orphan medications to improve and prolong the lives of those affected by disorders which we cannot cure at the moment (realistically, actually a lot of treatments are palleatives and not "cures" -- especially including mental illness. Maybe someday).
There have been studies at Baylor that the orphan drug tetrabenazine can improve TD (at the expense of causing possible permanent pseudoparkinsonism and other unpleasant things as it is a dopamine depleter like the much harsher reserpine.)
-- tidingsJay
Posted by ihatedrugs on July 11, 2008, at 23:29:04
In reply to Re: Neurology » ihatedrugs, posted by yxibow on July 10, 2008, at 2:51:35
It would be awesome to fast forward 100 years from now and see that scientists present knowledge of the brain is not much different from those who believed that a person suffering from epilepsy was possessed by demons.
I just hope it doesn't really take 100 years but more like 10 so we can have a chance.Greetings
ihatedrugs
Posted by yxibow on July 13, 2008, at 1:07:40
In reply to Re: Neurology)yxibow, posted by ihatedrugs on July 11, 2008, at 23:29:04
> It would be awesome to fast forward 100 years from now and see that scientists present knowledge of the brain is not much different from those who believed that a person suffering from epilepsy was possessed by demons.
> I just hope it doesn't really take 100 years but more like 10 so we can have a chance.
>
> Greetings
> ihatedrugs
I know -- some of us perhaps all have that feeling that maybe we were born too early. But that doesn't mean hard work cannot make the quality of life of someone suffering from a biochemical disorder better still at the moment. Because we live in the here and now.
Yes -- I remember an acquaintance who often hid epilepsy but it was rather noticeable when young, that yes "the demons were posessing" him. Now much older, he takes a regime of medication but he can never stop them because he has been on the AEDs so long that he could go into a coma or something of the like. Always consequences for things but that's better than not having it under control.-- tidings
Jay
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