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Re: SSRI brain damage

Posted by linkadge on July 23, 2007, at 9:43:50

In reply to Re: SSRI brain damage » steel, posted by Larry Hoover on July 23, 2007, at 9:06:36

My personal hunch is that yes SSRI's can cause certain forms brain damamge (mainly over time). I believe the paucity of such evidence more reflects a lack of quality funding for such studies than it does proove a true lack of danger.

The only antidepressants with a clear cut, and repleatedly demonstrated ability to *protect* against certain ravages of mood disorders are lithium, tianeptine, certain TCA's, and possably other anticonvulsants.

SSRI's for instance, show only weak ability to protect against cortisol induced glutamate toxicity. Some studies I have come across show an exaserbation of stress induced glutamatergic neurotoxicity. SSRI's can also often lead to long term increases in cortisol levels.

Indeed, the following study shows that fluoxetine worsens the effect of escape restraint stress on neuronal placticity.

http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/22/9/3638

Some other considerations are the following: SSRI's can decrease melatonin levels. Melatonin has strong neuroprotective capacity, and lowering its levels may have negative consequences on neuronal health.

There have been hints that both the SSRI's and lithium may increase the risk of developing parkinsons. There is a study showing that patients treated with SSRI's develop neuroanatomical changes in the thalamus.

http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/22/9/3638

Other possabilities including increasing lipid peroxidation by lowering the seizure threshold. Apparently sertraline has the ability to increase lipid peroxidation by a pro-convulsant mechanism.

See:

http://www.ijp-online.com/article.asp?issn=0253-7613;year=2004;volume=36;issue=1;spage=42;epage=43;aulast=Rizwan


SSRI's will enhance neurogensis in certain hippocampal subfeilds. Other neurotransmitters are involved in hippocampal placticity too however. Acetylcholine, dopamine, norepinephrine etc all promote neurogenesis in certain brain regions. Boosting serotonin too high may enhance neurogenesis in certain brain regions at the expense of other brain regions.

Just my own personal thoughts.


Linkadge



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