Posted by zonked on May 1, 2014, at 12:34:17
In reply to Re: Can someone explain Namenda's MOA? » zonked, posted by SLS on May 1, 2014, at 12:20:00
As always, I thank you, Scott, for being such a great source of information. It is interesting that you mentioned Lamictal - after her first surgery (within days of having a rule-out CT scan for resistant headaches, followed by various MRIs and all kinds of tests), she was put on Keppra. Initially I believed she suffered from Kepp-rage (and may still be, she's at the max dose now), I asked her Neurologist: "Why not Lamictal?" - it's his second choice, he explained, due to risk of the rash syndrome; and being that she was already allergic to two other anticonvulsants (Tegretrol/Trileptal) he didn't want to risk it.
He is very conservative, but if her seizures get worse, he won't raise the Keppra and I will ask about adding Lamictal as a second anticonvulsant might help control her seizures. He leaves mood meds to the psychiatrist, but as she is not bipolar, I doubt he will prescribe it independently.
Oh, I forgot, she is also on gabapentin - prescribed initially for mood prior to discovering cancer but it's also now probably helping her siezures. When I find out what lobe(s) the tumor is in, I used to know, I will repost. Somewhere in the temporal lobe, to be sure.
-z
> Guess:
>
> There is probably an excess of glutamate being leaked out of cells and causing progressive deterioration through neurotoxicity and oxidative damage. Memanting would dampen this at NMDA glutamate receptors.
>
> I would seriously look at minocycline to reduce inflammation, buffer glutamate release, and reduce neurotoxic degenerative processes, including oxidative damage produced by free radicals. Lamictal might help with mood by reducing active release of glutamate.
>
> 1. Is neuroprotective.
> 2. Reduces brain inflammation
> 3. Reduces the number of glutamate receptors.
> 4. Demonstrates antidepressant properties in mouse models of depression.
> 5. Is reported to act synergistically with noradrenergic antidepressants to treat depression - desipramine (but not fluoxetine).
> 6. Is reported to act synergistically with NMDA antagonists.
> 7. Reduces glutamate excitotoxicity by reducing the formation of quinolic acid, a NMDA agonist.
> 8. Reduces mitochondrial release of cytochrome C.
> 9. Modulates several signaling pathways.
> 10. Reduces microglial activation.
> 11. Has been reported anecdotally to successively treat depression.
> 12. Reduces the expression of lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammation cytokines, an effect that acts as an antidepressant in animal models.
> 13. Increases neurite growth in response to nerve growth factor (NGF).
> 14. Inhibits high levels of PKC and GSK-3 alpha;
> 15. Decreases nitric oxide synthetase, thereby reducing free radicals which damage neurons and glia.
> 16. Reduces glutamate release.
>
>
> - Scott
poster:zonked
thread:1064975
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20140419/msgs/1065026.html