Posted by Cam W. on September 26, 2000, at 6:34:45
In reply to If the AD's are supposed to increase the Seretonin, posted by doodlemail on September 25, 2000, at 14:24:13
> in your brain/blood/body or where ever....and the Seretonin in your body is responsible for giving you a feeling of fullness, thus being responsible
> for you losing the weight, then why do so many people gain weight on these medications???
> Does anyone have any answers for that???dood - The neurotransmitter system is quite complicated. You change the level of one neurotransmitter and you affect them all. It is reductionistic to look at one neurotransmitter without considering all of them.
The weight gain seen with some antipsychotics and possibly some antidepressants is due to a serotonin receptor subtype-2C (5HT-2C) blockade, which increases your appetite. Stimulating this receptor will make you feel full. There hasn't been a good 5HT-2C agonist developed, yet, for weight loss, but researchers are looking at them. Also, the interplay between neurotransmittter systems (possibly at the level of the hypothalamus) may cause increased hunger; or perhaps with the resolution of the depressive symptoms, one gets their appetite back. Also, if the antidepressant blocks cholinergic/muscarinic receptors, it can cause weight gain.
No one variable causes weight gain with antidepresants; it is usally a combination of things. Not everyone will gain weight with antidepressants. - Cam
poster:Cam W.
thread:45265
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000926/msgs/45307.html