Re: IMHO, Don't sweat the hypercortisolemia! » mattdds

Posted by Pfinstegg on April 8, 2003, at 20:32:25

In reply to IMHO, Don't sweat the hypercortisolemia!, posted by mattdds on April 8, 2003, at 19:05:58

I do think that the basic abnormality in mood disorders is some kind of dysregulation of the HPA axis. But endocrinologists and psychopharmacologists both dislike feeling pressure to investigate this area clinically because they do not have a treatment to offer at the present time. The things we do have- all the AD's which exist now- are designed to make up for deficiencies in neurotransmitters in the interneuronal spaces which are caused by damage to hippocampal neurons by cortisol, glutamate and other mineralocorticoids- they are treating the end-results of a cascade of hormones, which is essential for life, but has become abnormal in degree in the mood disorders.
I think it is correct to focus on changes in CRF secretion in the hypothalamus as the starting point in this cascade of changes, which runs through the pituitary, then the adrenals and ends up by damaging the hippocampus in particular. Once the hippocampus is not secreting or taking up normal amounts of serotonin, norepinehrine or dopamine, the best psychopharmacologists can do at present is increase the concentrations of these substances in the intercellular spaces of the hippocampus by one or more of the AD's.
What I have really liked about these intermittent, but ongoing, discussions on PB, is that people here are focussing on what the basic abnormality in mood disorders really is. We all know that we don't yet have a treatment which can modulate CRF secretion, but there have been a number of valuable suggestions about things to do which may be somewhat neuroprotective of the hippocampus, and a few about things which may tend to reset the HPA axis a bit more towards normal. I find it valuable to know what the latest research is, and where it is leading, even though there isn't yet a really good treatment for me out there. If nothing else, I will know where to stand in line for a CRF modifier when one comes on the scene!
Pfinstegg

Thread

IMHO Cortisol Club members get a raw deal! glenn 4/8/03
IMHO, Don't sweat the hypercortisolemia! mattdds 4/8/03
Re: IMHO, Don't sweat the hypercortisolemia! » mattdds Pfinstegg 4/8/03
Re: IMHO, Don't sweat the hypercortisolemia! Ron Hill 4/8/03
Re: IMHO, Don't sweat the hypercortisolemia! jerrympls 4/8/03
Re: IMHO, Don't sweat the hypercortisolemia! » Ron Hill Pfinstegg 4/8/03
Re: IMHO, Don't sweat the hypercortisolemia! glenn 4/9/03
My hypothesis of the origin of HPA axis dysreg. mattdds 4/9/03
Re: My hypothesis of the origin of HPA axis dysreg. Peter S. 4/9/03
Re: My hypothesis of the origin of HPA axis dysreg. glenn 4/9/03
CBT - a CRUDE way of rewiring your brain » glenn mattdds 4/9/03
OOPS - Above message was meant to be for Peter mattdds 4/9/03
Re: CBT, psychotherapy and resetting the axis » mattdds Pfinstegg 4/10/03
Re: CBT, psychotherapy and resetting the axis » Pfinstegg Ritch 4/10/03
Re: CBT, psychotherapy and resetting the axis » Pfinstegg pelorojo 4/10/03
...
Re: My hypothesis of the origin of HPA axis dysreg. worrier 4/15/03

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