Posted by linkadge on December 31, 2004, at 14:54:56
In reply to Re: pstim for Bipolar II with comorbid ADHD? » Ron Hill, posted by Ritch on December 30, 2004, at 11:11:23
Sometimes there is a great blur between bipolar and ADD. Both involve profound underactivation of the frontal cortex (part of the brain that is involved in exectutive function and behavioral controll)
Seemingly paradoxical is are certain cases of mania being *relieved* through high doses of stimulants. This supports the cholinergic theory of bipolar (in which cholinergic hypofunction is involved in mania, and hyperfunction is involved in depression)
There have been times where my mood felt very out of controll, and a single dose of a stimulant (coffee, dexedrine, ritalin) has provided some controll.
If you feel that your symptoms lean more towards lack of attention, then oftentimes a stimulant can be grounding.
I would tend to think that a stimulant would work better with a gabaergic mood stabalizer than with lithium. On the other hand, lithium and ritalin is a combination that has often been employed for childhood ADD/Bipolar.
Linkadge
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URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041228/msgs/436065.html