Posted by linkadge on April 11, 2006, at 15:43:24
In reply to Re: Drugs versus Psychotherapy - Backlash?, posted by Caedmon on April 9, 2006, at 21:18:11
(Don't really know what you are saying)
We do know that certain lifestyles seem to delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease. For instance, lifetime coffee drinkers apparently display lower rates, and less severe onset of dimentia and Alzheimers. Whether this habit has any ability to prevent the underlying structural abnormalities is not certain.
I guess what I am saying is that many of the current treatments do not seem to actually prevent and of the structural changes evident in Alzheimers.
Researchers are following certain leads to try and uncover why the plaques are forming. For instance, GSK-3b inhibitors appear influence some enzyme that is responsible for the formation of the plaques and tangles. Lithium (a GSK-3b inhibitor) appears to block the formation of plaques and tangles in a mouse model of Alzheimers) This would be a more significant treatment option since attacking the underlying progression should lead to less functional impariment.
There is no evidence that aceylcholinsterase is high in Alzheimers. The drugs boost cholinergic neurotransmission in attempts to kickstart remaining circutry.
The same arguments could be made about depression. We know it can be neurodegenertitive, ie involving loss of hippocampal volume, but we don't fully know why. Many studies attempting to link depression to the levels of the serotonin transporter (SERT) have not been conclusive. Same thing goes for the norepinephrine transporter (NET). Some studies actually show that the levels of these transporters are already low in depressive states.
I guess what I am saying is that, while I might believe an antidepressant will work temporarily, it would be more comforting and reassuring to know that the drug was correcting an idenified abnormality. That case might guarentee a more than temporary symtomatic improvement.
Would you not agree that a more satisfying answer is the right answer?
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:629584
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060408/msgs/631825.html