Posted by SLS on September 26, 2005, at 9:00:00
In reply to **CORTISOL**, posted by med_empowered on September 25, 2005, at 16:34:44
> OK...so, hypothetically speaking...if super-high levels of cortisol are behind some forms of depression (Psychotic depression, possibly some cases of schizoaffective disorder), could you maybe treat these with high-dose Remeron? I mean..it does reduce cortisol. Maybe remeron+RU-486?
The difference in cortisol production produced by Remeron is probably too subtle to be of any use in cases where the whole HPA axis is in overdrive. I think you need to shock the system to reregulate itself. Using either mifepristone or dexamethasone for brief, paroxsysmal, one-week courses of treatment probably acts to stress the system into changing gene expressions that control relevant receptor sensitivities, second messenger events, and secretory responses. In other words, a dysregulated HPA axis might need "shock therapy" to produce any meaningful changes.
Just guessing, of course.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:558802
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050921/msgs/559744.html