Posted by linkadge on August 12, 2006, at 18:03:27
In reply to Re: Is Kramer right?, posted by notfred on August 12, 2006, at 17:13:57
Most of the theory around depression these days seems to suggest that the illness is both the result of, and the cause of specific regional brain atrophy.
I think the main reason for defining the problem as such, is to bring attnetion to the idea that the disease is infact a physical disease who's origins are just as real as those of heart disease etc.
Many of the current treatment modalities have been shown to have a favorable impact on neural placticity, ie they seem to have the ability to produce either repair or to induce compensatory adaptive capailities of the brain.
Some treatments however, seem to produce a greater effect on the disease progression.
Patients with a family history of unipolar or bipolar both show significant reductions in glial density and volumentric reductions in certain areas of the fronatal cortex.
Another consistent finding is reduced hippocampal volume, which can influence sensitivity to stress. Stress in turn can influence the volume of the hippocampus, so it is a catch 22 type of situation.
The brain does have the capability to repair itself, to an undetermined degree, and there are **many** many factors which can infuence the rate of repair and recovery.
Medications are only one tool. Other tools exist such as exercise, diet, mental exertion etc. Active minds are linked to brain growth. Learning itself promotes neurogenesis, as does social interaction. Stress reduction also will have a very favorable impact on neural placiticy.
I could go on and on.
In terms of medications, lithium and valproate are probably the most neuroprotective, and lithium the most neurotrophic, (but it may or may not be wise to choose a medication strictly based on these findings.)
Most antidepressants seem to have the ability to influence neurogenesis.
--------------------------------------------Agents with favorable impact on brain placticity
1. Fish oil, (DHA promotes neurogenesis, membrane integrity etc)
2. Anthocyannins, (agents found in blueberries)
3. Exercise, (growth factor increase)
4. Fasting (fasting enhances neurogenesis and neurorepair)
5. Antidepressants
6. Lithium, depakote,
7. ECT
8. Vitamins, esp: folic acid, b12, vitamin D, Niacin
9. NMDA antagonists, zinc magnesium etc.
10. Hormones, DHEA, estrogen, etc.
11. 5-ht1a agonists, dong quai, ginkgo, buspar,
12. 5-ht2a antagonists, ginkgo, atypicals, TCA's
13. Stress/Cortisol reduction: theanine, vitamin c, phosphatidly serine
14. Social interaction, learning, enriched environment.
15. Statins,
16. Agents capable of increasing BCL-2 expression: melatonin, estrogen, depakote, lithium, zinc
17. Agents capable of increasing BDNF
18. Growth factors: endothelial growth factor, GAP-43, BDNF, GDNF, BCL-2, NGF, NT-3, (dozens)The list goes on and on.
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:675829
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060810/msgs/675885.html