Posted by SLS on February 24, 2009, at 13:15:35
In reply to Re: Natural anticonvulsants? » SLS, posted by garnet71 on February 24, 2009, at 12:22:03
> You would know the dynamics better than I, but serotonin acts as an inhibitor of many glutamatergic pathways. My guess is the sudden drop in synaptic serotonin as a result of removing an SRI disinhibits these glutamate pathways and allows them to become hyperexcitable and leading to kindling. I think the kindling allows for the withdrawal severity to grow more intense over time, prevents some people from discontinuing entirely, and allows for a persistence of withdrawal symptoms long after the drug is discontinued. I also have a hunch that future withdrawal episodes from discontinuing successive SRIs produces more severe withdrawal syndromes.
> - Scott
>
> --------------------------
>
> What are glutamatergic pathways and kindling?The most pervasive stimulatory neurotransmitter in the brain is glutamate. A pathway whose neuron's use glutamate is said to be glutamatergic.
Kindling is like what happens in epilepsy. The more seizures you have, the more frequent and severe they become. The neurons become more hyperexcitable over time and are said to be kindled - as in fire.
> I'm not sure I'm understanding what you all are saying here--
I wish I understood why no one is paying any attention to this theory. It has already been established that a similar thing is occurring with alcohol withdrawal. Using anticonvulsants has been proposed as way to lessen the severity of the withdrawal syndrome, something that I had already suggested. To brag just a little, I came up with this concept independently of those whom had proposed kindling for alcohol. I should send a letter to Robert M. Post at the NIMH to see what he has to say. I'm pretty sure he's still around, despite having had a heart attack. He introduced kindling theory to mental illness.
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20050214/msgs/460726.html
> Could this be related to those of us who have had chronic and severe anxiety after discontinuing these drugs
Yes. According to my theory, such a thing is possible.
> Could that explain why these drugs haven't worked/treatment resistance?
Of this, I am not so sure. I think this has more to do with dysregulated receptor feedback loops and possibly altered gene expression via disturbed second messenger systems.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:881348
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20090204/msgs/882183.html