Posted by torachan on May 22, 2008, at 18:08:30
In reply to Re: Can we really choose drugs based on mechanisms? » SLS, posted by seldomseen on May 22, 2008, at 13:34:24
First off, the special MRI images are fMRI's which stands for "functional magnetic resonance imaging" and it works by indicating the areas of the brain with increased oxygen flow, thus increased brain activity in that area.
I'm thinking though, that the scans were actually PET scans which uses a radioactive dye injected into the brain, and this dye will build up more in overactive areas, and an image can be produced with different color coded areas indicating different levels of brain activity. I think red indicates the highest level.
And yes, I believe in about 10 or so years nearly all psychiatric disorders will be proven as actual biopsychological disorders with definitive abnormalities in certain areas of the brain. The interplay between the amygdala (the "emotional center of the brain"--actually the entire limbic system is crucial in emotion) and the frontal lobes or cortex will be likely shown to be the foundation of many mental illnesses, especially anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. Also, the hippocampus is a crucial area.
Once a better understanding of the psychobiological underpinnings of mental illness is achieved, better treatment options will emerge. The current treatment for these disorders focusing on neurotransmitters like serotonin will be expanded, or go beyond these typical ones to ones like glutamate perhaps. Also, better targeting of specific receptors say for instance in the amygdala will lead to better treatment.
poster:torachan
thread:830457
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080519/msgs/830561.html