Posted by Larry Hoover on April 9, 2003, at 12:27:24
In reply to Important questions regarding hippocampal damage.., posted by Questionmark on April 9, 2003, at 0:37:12
It's only in the last decade that we've come to realize just how resilient the brain is. New cells are formed, and new connections between existing cells are created, every day of our life. Yes, there is some evidence for hippocampal injury during depression, but SSRIs have been shown to reverse that process. When SSRIs stop working, it may well be because the pathology of depression has found another way to injure the brain. SSRIs and all other antidepressants have been shown (via what is called functional neuroimaging) to "correct" some aspects of brain physiology, but not all of them. In a sense, then, antidepressants are an incomplete treatment. Disappointments over treatment outcomes or issues of antidepressant-derived brain injury may well be well be depression doing its dirty work despite treatment. That's why I focus on other aspects of self-care: feeding my brain what it needs, listening to my body *intently*, exercise, rest, cognitive/behavioural interactions, and so on. Depending solely on medication is a foolish decision, IMHO.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:215282
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030407/msgs/217824.html