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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Sherry on August 19, 2001, at 19:28:13
Please don't laugh at my humbly ignorant question, but can they do tests on the brain to see which NT's are defficient? I've never heard anyone on this board mention anything about it, but I had to ask just so I could know.
Thanks,
Sherry
Posted by stjames on August 19, 2001, at 19:53:40
In reply to brain testing, posted by Sherry on August 19, 2001, at 19:28:13
Keep in mind mental illness is not caused by a lack of something, but a misregulation. For the brain we can image things like electrical activity and blood flow. This is more on a gross level and not specific enough to be a dignostic tool. More a research tool.
james
Posted by JohnL on August 20, 2001, at 4:18:08
In reply to brain testing, posted by Sherry on August 19, 2001, at 19:28:13
> Please don't laugh at my humbly ignorant question, but can they do tests on the brain to see which NT's are defficient? I've never heard anyone on this board mention anything about it, but I had to ask just so I could know.
>
> Thanks,
>
> SherryI think St James brought up a very important and valid point. That is, symptoms are not caused by a deficiency of NTs, but rather disregulation of NTs. Increasing or decreasing the NTs with medication can re-regulate their operation. Also, a proper balance between different NTs I think is important. Everyone's balance is different. But there needs to be a balance. Sometimes there is too much of one NT, and too little of another. Decreasing one, or raising the other, can help restore the proper balance. That's why it is called 'chemical imbalance'. It isn't called 'chemical deficiency'.
As an example, I did poorly with all meds that increase norepinephrine (Nortriptyline, Desipramine, Reboxetine, Moclobemide, Effexor, and others). So it seemed pretty obvious to me that norepinephrine was not the correct chemistry for me to focus on. However, when I tried Adrafinil it was like a miracle had happened. But Adrafinil works on norepinephrine. So all of a sudden it didn't make any sense. Why did the other NE drugs not work, but Adrafinil did? I guess we'll never know for sure, but my layman explanation is that my NE levels were fine all along, but they were not workinig properly for some reason. A genetic flaw maybe, damage maybe, dunno. My NE levels were fine, but they needed repairing. Adrafinil did that. It had nothing at all to do with chemical deficiency.
I'm sure the whole deal is much more complicated than we will ever understand. But I do know that too much of any NT is just as bad as too little. It's a correct balance and correct operation we are looking for, which are both related to the regulation St James spoke about.
This is purely my own layman view, which may or may not be accurate.
John
Posted by Zo on August 21, 2001, at 22:30:40
In reply to Re: brain testing, posted by JohnL on August 20, 2001, at 4:18:08
I think you make some excellent sense, John. But isn't it immaterial, in the end? I mean, what works, works. . .and we don't really know why. So ladle me some more dopamine. I mean, for me, almost no amount is too much. . . so that's my balance. I'm not sure we can say there is some objective point of balance, that this idea of balance makes any sense besides the individual.
Just some thoughts,
Zo
This is the end of the thread.
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