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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by steve on November 27, 2000, at 23:44:37
In this threat http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001102/msgs/48725.html
different posters suggested that the basal ganglia shrinkage one
sees in long-term anti-psychotic use is no big deal. Does anyone
know why these researchers do think it is a big deal in Gulf
War Syndrome?http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20001127/hl/syndrome_1.html
Gulf War Symptoms Linked to Brain Damage
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Symptoms such as memory loss and dizziness
suffered by US veterans with Gulf War syndrome can be correlated to
specific areas of the brain where cells have died, probably from chemical
exposure, researchers said on Monday.In 1999, doctors from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
in Dallas reported that brain scans performed on people with symptoms of
Gulf War syndrome showed depleted cells in three areas of their brains.This year we show that brain cell losses from specific areas of the brain
correlate with different symptoms and abnormalities,'' lead researcher Robert
Haley said in a report released at the annual meeting of the Radiological
Society of North America.The scans performed on 12 veterans with severe cases of the syndrome
found brain cell losses of between 10% and 25% in three regions deep inside
the brain--the BASAL GANGLIA in each hemisphere and the brain stem. Scans
performed on healthy veterans of the 1990-1991 Gulf War were normal.The Texas researchers have found the amount of brain cell loss in the Gulf
War veterans to be comparable to that of patients with brain diseases like
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), multiple
sclerosis, dementia and other degenerative neurological disorders, although
the brain areas affected are different.I'm not saying that anti-psychotics are intrinsically bad, I do know that
Zyprexa helps my anxiety, but I would like to know if the cost of that could
be clinically significant brain shrinkage.
Posted by JackD on November 28, 2000, at 1:29:22
In reply to Anti-psychotic use vs. Gulf War Syndrome, posted by steve on November 27, 2000, at 23:44:37
Maybe you should try another option if your problem is anxiety. I know that Klonopin is not only a good anti-anxiety drug but it is also very effective as an anti-psychotic (psychotic symptoms and psychotic anxiety).
Posted by NikkiT2 on November 28, 2000, at 4:17:27
In reply to Anti-psychotic use vs. Gulf War Syndrome, posted by steve on November 27, 2000, at 23:44:37
> In this threat http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001102/msgs/48725.html
> different posters suggested that the basal ganglia shrinkage one
> sees in long-term anti-psychotic use is no big deal.What is ganglia shrinkage (sorry to be so dim!). I'm on anti-psych's (not a huge dose though, just augmenting my effexor) and hadn't been aware of many side affects.
Nikki
Posted by S. Howard on November 28, 2000, at 21:12:56
In reply to Anti-psychotic use vs. Gulf War Syndrome, posted by steve on November 27, 2000, at 23:44:37
Steve-
I don't pretend to know anything about basal ganglia shrinkage, but if you are concerned about its effects because of symptoms you are having, I would contact the VA. As a veteran, I feel strongly that they should perform and pay for any testing necessary. At the risk of sounding schmaltzy, I believe your country owes that to you.On the other hand, if the medication you are taking works for you, I would not be so quick to abandon it. It's obvious by reading the other posts that it sometimes takes months -or even years- of experimenting with different drugs to find one that provides some relief.
If you look hard and long enough, you can find an article somewhere that will scare the s*** out of you about anything you take or do.
Incidentally, my son just walked in here and told me that he heard it could be fatal to eat raw cookie dough. In that case, I would have been dead a long time ago.
-Gracie
Posted by stjames on November 29, 2000, at 1:47:22
In reply to Anti-psychotic use vs. Gulf War Syndrome, posted by steve on November 27, 2000, at 23:44:37
> In this threat http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001102/msgs/48725.html
> different posters suggested that the basal ganglia shrinkage one
> sees in long-term anti-psychotic use is no big deal. Does anyone
> know why these researchers do think it is a big deal in Gulf
> War Syndrome?
>James here.....
Sorry, you cannot compare these 2 studies, they measure different things.
One is measuring death at the cell level, the other a change in gross volume, which
does not mean damage. Some AP's make parts of the brain bigger, too.james
Posted by steve on November 29, 2000, at 9:42:44
In reply to Re: Anti-psychotic use vs. Gulf War Syndrome, posted by stjames on November 29, 2000, at 1:47:22
> James here.....
>
> Sorry, you cannot compare these 2 studies, they measure different things.
> One is measuring death at the cell level, the other a change in gross volume, which
> does not mean damage. Some AP's make parts of the brain bigger, too.
>
> jamesThanks for relieving my worried mind.
BTW Could you explain how the brain shrinks if not through cell death?
Posted by steve on November 30, 2000, at 11:05:30
In reply to Re: Anti-psychotic use vs. Gulf War Syndrome, posted by steve on November 29, 2000, at 9:42:44
> > James here.....
> >
> > Sorry, you cannot compare these 2 studies, they measure different things.
> > One is measuring death at the cell level, the other a change in gross volume, which
> > does not mean damage. Some AP's make parts of the brain bigger, too.
> >
> > jamesCould either of you explain the difference between cell death and brain shrinkage?
This is the end of the thread.
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