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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by FredPotter on October 29, 2006, at 16:03:30
I know Deep Brain Stimulation has been discussed before but recently I read an article featuring Prof Helen Mayberg's work on area 25 (between the frontal cortex and the limbic system) in the Scientific American MIND series. Here's a link to her work
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4627438
The general idea is that depressed people have an over-active area 25 which behaves like a gate and opens when too active, letting emotions from the limbic system enter the frontal cortex.
The limbic system is more primitive than the cortex. I was wondering why all the emotions from the limbic system felt so bad. Is it because they are chiefly life-saving? This would make fear the dominant emotion entering the depressed person's frontal cortex. Presumably sex and falling in love are feelings rather than emotions and reside somewhere else. Can someone help? As you can tell I don't know what I'm talking about
Thanks
Fred
Posted by linkadge on October 30, 2006, at 8:34:32
In reply to A switch for depression, posted by FredPotter on October 29, 2006, at 16:03:30
The brain is very smart, but also very dumb.
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on October 30, 2006, at 17:07:10
In reply to A switch for depression, posted by FredPotter on October 29, 2006, at 16:03:30
Fred that's interesting. When you fall in love their are neurochemicals that are realesed. If fear is the dominant emotion than that explains anxiety and agoraphobia in depression. Love Phillipa
Posted by FredPotter on November 1, 2006, at 16:48:35
In reply to Re: A switch for depression » FredPotter, posted by Phillipa on October 30, 2006, at 17:07:10
As I thought this was the most exciting development I'd ever seen in psychiatry, I was surprised very few have taken up the thread
Posted by Phillipa on November 1, 2006, at 19:45:13
In reply to Re: A switch for depression » FredPotter, posted by Phillipa on October 30, 2006, at 17:07:10
Fred I'm very interested but isn't still in the trial phase? Love Phillipa ps it was on TV some time last week too. My Daughter said one of the women had been depressed as long as me and was my age she is going to find out about it for me.
Posted by FredPotter on November 1, 2006, at 20:37:06
In reply to Re: A switch for depression » Phillipa, posted by Phillipa on November 1, 2006, at 19:45:13
yes apparently in the trial some of the patients were catatonic. Some got immediately better as soon as the current was switched on, but some took "several months" but all were spectacularly treatment resistant before the trial.
Posted by Phillipa on November 1, 2006, at 21:12:52
In reply to Re: A switch for depression » Phillipa, posted by Phillipa on November 1, 2006, at 19:45:13
Catatonic wow that's pretty depressed. Love Phillipa
Posted by Ant-Rock on November 2, 2006, at 6:55:01
In reply to Re: A switch for depression - disappointed, posted by FredPotter on November 1, 2006, at 16:48:35
> As I thought this was the most exciting development I'd ever seen in psychiatry, I was surprised very few have taken up the thread
I believe you are right about this being a major development.
This is my(simplified) analogy on Deep Brain Stimulation:Todays drugs are the equivalent to the random bombs dropped on targets in World War 2.
Often targets were hit, but lots of collateral damage occured and overkill was common.DBS has the potential to be so much more precise and not flood the whole brain/body with chemicals and the toxic side effects that go along with them.
Just my 2 cents.
Anthony
Posted by elanor roosevelt on November 2, 2006, at 9:22:39
In reply to A switch for depression, posted by FredPotter on October 29, 2006, at 16:03:30
i did my best at wikipedia and to me,it seems it's the frontal lobe getting over-loaded
makes more sense
i am not convinced that inserting something in the brain is necessary
that is just the first figuring out
i think this is promising research and will hopefully lead to less intrusive but equally positive results
i am underwhelmed with the amount of innovative approaches available
i do think it is due to the underlying belief that depression is not a disease but a character defect
Posted by FredPotter on November 2, 2006, at 13:50:00
In reply to Re: A switch for depression, posted by elanor roosevelt on November 2, 2006, at 9:22:39
Yes I think the interest with DBS lies not in the technique as a treatment but in how it increases understanding. This should lead to new treatments that won't involve implants and wires under the skin. Imagine turning your head quickly! Yugh. Also something tangible occurring in the brain that will convince most people that depression is an illness. They are far from unanimous on this
This is the end of the thread.
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