Posted by Elizabeth on February 4, 2002, at 12:46:00
In reply to Re: Looking for advice for TRD / Peters, posted by Denise528 on February 4, 2002, at 10:40:30
Different people have different reactions to drugs. You feel less apathetic on Zyprexa, but a lot of people feel very sedated and "dull" or "flat" on antipsychotics. Some people become apathetic on SSRIs. This effects is hypothesized to be due to indirect effects on the dopaminergic system, but nobody really knows for sure (my guess is that it's not that simple). Also, Zyprexa has some fairly selective effects -- it doesn't decrease the amount of dopamine, but rather, it blocks dopamine receptors. There are different types of dopamine receptors that serve different functions, and Zyprexa doesn't block all of them with equal affinities. The receptors designated "D2" are the ones that are relevant in the antipsychotic action of Zyprexa, but blockade of the other dopamine receptor subtypes may have clinically relevant effects too. Zyprexa also blocks a particular subtype of serotonin receptor, and this may contribute as well.
I hope this answers your question.
Best,
-elizabeth
poster:Elizabeth
thread:92489
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020131/msgs/92828.html