Posted by AndrewB on February 23, 2001, at 8:53:49
In reply to Re: Smoker with Bipolar/ADD? This new drug may help , posted by SLS on February 23, 2001, at 8:28:10
Scott,First in reply to your question about the diff. between a partial and full agonist:
Full agonist: An agonist which produces a maximal response by occupying all or a fraction of receptors.
Partial agonist: An agonist which produces less than a maximal response even when it occupies all of the receptors.For an excellent source of basic neuropharmocology definitions go to:
http://science.glaxowellcome.com/science/pharm_guide/Pharm_5.htm
Scott, you make a great cautionary point about nicotine antagonists being depressives. However it is my hunch that at low doses mecamylamine is actually partial agonist and only when the dosage is increased does it become an antagonist. I base this on a study that showed small doses of mecamylamine to significantly improve the memory of rats and primates, both aged and healthy. This is a trademark effect of nicotine agonists and the (surprised) researcher thus speculated that mecamyline was indeed acting as a partial agonist at those low doses.
BTW: Thank you Scott for your trademark grilling: it keeps me on my toes!
AndrewB
poster:AndrewB
thread:54389
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010221/msgs/54667.html