Posted by linkadge on November 20, 2002, at 6:47:45
In reply to Re: Antipsychotics » Kari, posted by Dinah on November 19, 2002, at 15:03:38
Antipsychotics block the D2 receptor in the
brain. This is proposed to be the therapudic
action. What this does, is in blocking one
receptor leaves more dopamine for other
receptors.Parkinsons is related to a decrease in the production of dopamine the brain (a part that has nothing to do with emotion) however the drugs used, raise dopamine in the emotion centers as well.
Cocine and other stims can cause psychosis when abused, this is because of enhanced activity of dopamine at the D2 receptor. Stim psychosis is
effectivly relieved with antipsychotics.Dopamine is involved in repeating an action. It brings pleasure from learning and getting better at a previously known action. In excess it creates extreme feelings of power and remarkable self controll. In excess, a person may feel to have special powers and such. It enhances self awareness, movement controll, cognition and spacial skills. This is why someone high on Cocane can generally drive at brakeneck speeds and survive for longer than normal.
As far as depression goes, too little dopamine can result in feelings of weakness, fragility, like not being a real solid and physical being. In some, raising dopamine relieves thoughs of impending heart attack. Have you ever hated the concept of a heart - why did God have to make something that beats all the time and not something stationay (afraid to sleep as if your awareness if it keeps it going?) You may be low on dopamine.
Dopamine is an inhibitoy neurotransmitter at some sites and a excitory at others. It very often closes of 'change' and makes one stubborn, it can make a situation impossible to change -(that is, in the presence of low seritonin)
It has a strong component in Sociability. When too high it provokes feelings of self centeredness and self power - 'what could I possibly learn from them' But when too low, someone may doubt their ability to carry on a conversation - fearing they may say something stupid. An excessivly high dopamine person often becomes disconnected in this way. They feel nobody really understands the powerful insight they get - they feel other's talk is too simplictic that it has no meaning.
You may now see how the symptoms of paranoia can generally be left untreated. The person is very smart insightful and intuitive - they should surely know what is real and what is not. There is a very very fine line between insight and delusions, self confidence and self centerdness which is all controlled by dopamine.
The cocaine high is not all that good. Intead of giving you satisfaction with the world - you all of a sudden SEE all the problems AND you become powerful - your internal dialog speeds up and your ideas don't get stuck at a cetain point anymore - you see them right though - they're attainable. You don't give a darn about others cause it is YOUR power than can get it all.
You can run without the slightest stumble and hop fences with remarkable spacial accuracy. Math skills go nuts as cognition and spacial skills go through the roof - you can see how John Nash - A beautiful mind - might not recognise it as a problem.Psychosis and abject fear go hand in hand. Some peoples anxiety has a psychotic component or a psychotic twinge. Feeling like everything has a devine purpose for example. Feeling like doom and dread, and impending justice will come. This is another reason why antipsychotics help some anxiety disorders and even some panic disorders.
Also note that Dopamine driven, low seritonin depressives very rarely seek help. They feel good about themselves - but that usually itThis is why it is absolutely crutial for the patient to explain the 'thoughts' that accompany the feeling. Saying one is depressed is not enought - fining out what the patient is depressed about - can really help discover what
neurotransmitter is out of whack .In my depression I never had feelings low self worth. I always - throughout the whole thing - thought I was smart - but things just had an unbearable sence of sadness to them. This is why SSRIs worked the best for me. Some others don't feel as sad as they do lousy - feeling worthless as it is called - dopamine has a VERY STRONG component in the feeling of self worth. Ever notice that a psychotic person will almost NEVER feel worthless ?! Low dopamine can also make the world seem dirty and poluteted and dry and stuff like that.
So, people out there, tell us more about your depression, what gets you depressed, what thoughts accompany your depression.
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:128002
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021116/msgs/128423.html