Posted by linkadge on February 6, 2010, at 10:26:44 [reposted on February 22, 2010, at 1:20:55 | original URL]
In reply to Re: Oregon University's new antidepressant, posted by bulldog2 on February 6, 2010, at 8:50:18
I don't know where this whole idea of dopamine being the magic cure comes from. So many people come on this board and say "I've got a dopamine problem because I have yadi-yada symptoms".
Fist off, there are virtually no AD's that target dopamine. Wellbutrin (contrary to popular belief) has only very weak effects on the dopamine transporter.
Mirapex is also not a miracle antidepressant.
Animals studies also show that if you increase dopamine in the pleasure centres of the brain it activates BDNF in that area. BDNF in the neucleus accumbens produces behavioral depression.
Long term admistration of many drugs of abuse often increases feelings of craving and of depression.
You can block the behavioral depressant effects of accumbal dopamine by administering antipsychotics. This is why antipsychotics probably have a better record of being adjuncts for depression than do stimulants.
D3 receptor activation likely produces the depressant effects as mice lacking the d3 receptor do not respond this way to dopaminergic drugs.
Infact mice that have been administered dopamine precursors or dopaminergic drugs behave like they have been defeated in social models of depression. Serotonin on the other hand facilitates social dominance.
There is a difference between pleasure and an antidepressant effect. For instance, smoking weed. Sure you get a hit, then you just feel like a looser.
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:937616
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/neuro/20091104/msgs/937616.html