![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
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 chiron on January 2, 2007, at 21:49:56
There are places online that offer to test neurotransmitters & hormones from saliva. Does anyone know if this really works and is of value?
Posted by laima on January 2, 2007, at 21:52:10
In reply to Neurotransmitter Testing, posted by chiron on January 2, 2007, at 21:49:56
I heard the tests are not clinically useful, in that they don't measure what's happening in the brain, and they can't indicate which med would be helpful.
Posted by blueberry1 on January 3, 2007, at 15:37:13
In reply to Neurotransmitter Testing, posted by chiron on January 2, 2007, at 21:49:56
I've had these tests done and they do offer some overall perspective. But they really don't reflect what is going on in the brain. They show more of what is going on in the body. For example, my serotonin, norepinephrine, and gaba levels were normal. But my epinephrine levels were abnormally high. It was interesting but not very useful.
The hormone saliva testing is useful. Measuring things like DHEA and cortisol is meaningful. I found out my cortisol levels were extremely low, which indicated adrenal exhaustion. But does that relate to mood? The tests are interesting for an overall perspective but it is hard to interpret the results.
Posted by Tomatheus on January 4, 2007, at 23:41:17
In reply to Neurotransmitter Testing, posted by chiron on January 2, 2007, at 21:49:56
I wasn't aware that saliva even contains neurotransmitters. Do the tests detect the actual neurotransmitters or just their metabolites?
Tomatheus
> There are places online that offer to test neurotransmitters & hormones from saliva. Does anyone know if this really works and is of value?
Posted by Cairo on January 5, 2007, at 0:19:34
In reply to Re: Neurotransmitter Testing, posted by blueberry1 on January 3, 2007, at 15:37:13
What would high DHEA, normal testosterone and normal cortisol mean?
Cairo
> I've had these tests done and they do offer some overall perspective. But they really don't reflect what is going on in the brain. They show more of what is going on in the body. For example, my serotonin, norepinephrine, and gaba levels were normal. But my epinephrine levels were abnormally high. It was interesting but not very useful.
>
> The hormone saliva testing is useful. Measuring things like DHEA and cortisol is meaningful. I found out my cortisol levels were extremely low, which indicated adrenal exhaustion. But does that relate to mood? The tests are interesting for an overall perspective but it is hard to interpret the results.
Posted by yxibow on January 7, 2007, at 0:13:27
In reply to Re: Neurotransmitter Testing, posted by laima on January 2, 2007, at 21:52:10
>
> I heard the tests are not clinically useful, in that they don't measure what's happening in the brain, and they can't indicate which med would be helpful.I would probably concur with that too. There is the very expensive Amplichip test which would detect whether the body metabolizes CYP2D6 well or not and thus give some insight into drug interactions in an individual. Its exciting stuff but only the first in a line of "pharmacogenetic tests" (Wikipedia)
As for levels of transmitters like serotonin in the blood -- one has to remember that most serotonergic activity goes on in the gut and not in the brain. The curiosities of the human body.
This is why expensive 5HT3 blockade agents like ondansetron and granisetron, some at $25 a pill, work to block extreme nausea in chemotherapy regimes.
This is also why nausea is experienced in dose changes in serotonergic drug regimes as a slightly "unclean" drug temporarily brushes past 5HT3 and upsets the stomach. Ginger (raw, pill form, and probably crystallized too) is a very weak 5HT3 blockade agent but definately less expensive.
-- Jay
Posted by laima on January 7, 2007, at 22:32:54
In reply to Re: Neurotransmitter Testing » laima, posted by yxibow on January 7, 2007, at 0:13:27
You report a lot of interesting news. Yeah- I forgot about the seratonin in the gut. I wonder how much IT affects our moods- or if it's mostly involved with bodily sensation- or if I'm just way off in wondering such things. "Gut feelings". I asked my doctor about neurotransmittor tests some time ago, and in any case, he felt confident that they wouldn't help pinpoint which medication would be most helpful. I asked about those brain scans too- he wasn't too impressed by those either. Said they're too vague, and that they would vary a lot even with a "normal" subject.
In any case, I did gather that research is being done, looking for tests and markers to help pinpoint more quickly a medication program which would be successful for people. Hopefully, in the future there won't be so much guesswork.
> I would probably concur with that too. There is the very expensive Amplichip test which would detect whether the body metabolizes CYP2D6 well or not and thus give some insight into drug interactions in an individual. Its exciting stuff but only the first in a line of "pharmacogenetic tests" (Wikipedia)
>
> As for levels of transmitters like serotonin in the blood -- one has to remember that most serotonergic activity goes on in the gut and not in the brain. The curiosities of the human body.
>
> This is why expensive 5HT3 blockade agents like ondansetron and granisetron, some at $25 a pill, work to block extreme nausea in chemotherapy regimes.
>
> This is also why nausea is experienced in dose changes in serotonergic drug regimes as a slightly "unclean" drug temporarily brushes past 5HT3 and upsets the stomach. Ginger (raw, pill form, and probably crystallized too) is a very weak 5HT3 blockade agent but definately less expensive.
>
> -- Jay
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.