Posted by undopaminergic on March 30, 2008, at 13:33:29
In reply to Memantine +glutamate ex.toxicty, dramatic recovery, posted by temoigneur on March 29, 2008, at 19:48:24
>
> So basically we have following NDMA antagonists:
> 1. Memantine (Akatinol/Axura)
> 2. Acamprosate (Campral)
> 3. Amantadine (Symmetrel/Amantix)
> 4. Magnesium (supplement)
>
>
> 3) Amantadine,
>
> I couldn't find what amount of the drug should be used to block NDMA. Cheaper than Acamprosate. No one has tested it yet, but I think it would be a good choice.
I have extensive experience with amantadine. Unfortunately, I can't get it to work reliably and consistently. I've only been successful with it once, when I managed to induce a powerful stimulant/antidepressive - and even briefly hypomanic - response. This is remarkable because I can take high doses of stimulants without much of a response, and even that little response tends to dissipate due to tolerance.Therefore, it's particularly interesting to learn that some NMDA antagonists may be capable of reducing or preventing tolerance:
>
> As alluded to above, taking an appropriate NMDA (partial) antagonist will prevent the development of a tolerance for the effects of an amphetamine or amphetamine-like stimulant.
>
> Studies have indicated that amphetamine tolerance is prevented by exogenous or endogenous agents that are able to inhibit excess Ca++ influx into the neuron through the gated calcium channels on the neuronal membrane that have NMDA subtype glutamate receptors.
So that is one more reason to explore NMDA-antagonists, as I'm already in the process of doing. Previous brief trials of memantine have been promising, as noticeable antidepressive effects were noted.>
> The presence of OCD-schizotypal comorbidity is interesting given the role of glutamatergic dysfunction in both OCD and schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
Also interesting because I may have schizoid personality disorder, another schizophrenia spectrum disorder. It consist of emotional blunting, anhedonia, social withdrawal and other so-called negative schizophrenic symptoms.Indeed, one small study indicates that memantine might be useful in the treatment of negative symptoms:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17728110Quote: "Seven schizophrenia patients, were included in a six-week open-label study, with weekly increasing dosage (5, 10, 15, 20 mg) of memantine added to their on-going antipsychotic treatment. ... We found a significant improvement of the PANSS score ... after six weeks ..., with the most prominent improvement (21%) in negative signs sub-scale"
>
> I did read that msg is thought by some to be a neuro-toxin capable in sensitive indivuals, of over-exciting neurons, ending in cell death.
>The concern mainly applies to those with an immature (ie. infants) or damaged (mobile phone users?) blood-brain-barrier, which could allow the glutamate from MSG to enter the brain and cause excitotoxicity. There is similar concern about aspartame, which contains aspartate - another excitatory amino acid that also stimulates glutamate receptors, but not as potently as glutamate.
On the other hand, NMDA-antagonists can also cause neurotoxicity, at least in rats. The toxicity is initially reversible, but upon longer term treatment with potent NMDA-antagonists, damage to particularly the posterior cingulate and retrosplenial cortices results.
poster:undopaminergic
thread:820576
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/neuro/20080204/msgs/820685.html