Posted by JohnL on January 25, 2003, at 5:27:22
In reply to fighting anhedonia by increasing reward pathway, posted by hok on January 24, 2003, at 13:19:37
My depression is characterized primarily by anhedonia. I tried for years and years all the common drugs to battle it. It wasn't until I started getting into drugs that affect dopamine that I saw improvement. I do believe the anhedonic component of depression is dopamine and norepinephrine related.
I take a cocktail that is very effective at targeting anhedonia. It is 20mg Prozac, 5mg Zyprexa, 300mg Adrafinil, and 150mg of the herb Rhodiola Rosea.
Prozac doesn't have any direct action on dopamine. But it does have indirect action. Zyprexa has direct action on dopamine, both increasing it in certain parts of the brain and decreasing it in other parts. Adrafinil is primarily a norepinephrine drug, but does have indirect effects on dopamine d2 receptors. Rhodiola has action on serotonin, dopamine, and beta-endorphins. None of these drugs on their own are good enough. But together they work in fantastic harmony.
I've tried all the stimulants. They worked, in a way. But to me it was very artificial. They basically made me feel good by making me high. It was artificial. And it felt very very addicting. And when it wears off, look out below.
For depression characterized by anhedonia, some of the better drugs for treating this, in my opinion, are: Amisulpride, Adrafinil, Zyprexa, sometimes Risperdal, a little Prozac in the background, possibly Mirapex, and Desipramine. Other dopamine drugs such as Wellbutrin or Deprenyl I found useless.
I think you are on the right track. If you were looking at just the SSRIs, I would then have to say you were on the wrong track. I have rarely seen increased serotonin make anhedonia go away. It does seem to be a dopamine/norepinephrine thing a lot more than a serotonin thing.
poster:JohnL
thread:137341
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030125/msgs/137432.html