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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 25 of 40. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Phillipa on March 28, 2006, at 12:34:42
I've never heard of this before but my neighbor from Florida who is a third grade teacher said she heard or read that SSRI's cause memory loss. And she can't remember where she heard or read this. Has anyone else ever heard of this. I haven't. She is on lexapro 10mg and 3mg of xanax and will take up to 6mg of xanax at night if she cant sleep. She just laughs and says well if I cant remember something I tell my Son(grown and married with a child) that it's the medicine. She thinks it's a joke. Well I don't do any of you? Or have any of you heard of this. this must National SSRI bad side effects week. Love Phillipa
Posted by B2chica on March 28, 2006, at 12:54:52
In reply to Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory, posted by Phillipa on March 28, 2006, at 12:34:42
i haven't read anything like that but i've played with my meds before and i know that xanax causes memory loss. i would be bad and double or triple my xanax dose (from 2mg to 4 or 6) at night and the next morning i was groggy -in weird state- and the next day i would remember stuff that was like a dream and not sure if it was real or not. sometimes it was a dream, sometimes i did it. and other times i fogot completely about things, conversations, etc.
i'm guessing it's more in the higher levels of xanax. i wouldn't worry if you taking less than 1mg/day.
Posted by linkadge on March 28, 2006, at 13:02:05
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Me » Phillipa, posted by B2chica on March 28, 2006, at 12:54:52
I'm sure they can. Serotonin is intricately involved in memory function. Activating certain serotonin receptors can aid in memory while activating others can create memory disturbances.
It is difficult to say how a SSRI would affect memory overall, but memory problems wouldn't suprise me.
Linkadge
Posted by blueberry on March 28, 2006, at 15:28:13
In reply to Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory, posted by Phillipa on March 28, 2006, at 12:34:42
I believe ssri's can cause memory problems because it has happened to me. Actually it was only lexapro that did it. The others were ok.
But if someone is taking a benzo along with an ssri, I would be much more inclined to point the finger at the benzo. I remember (now that I'm off lexapro :-)) that on just 1mg/day of xanax I would prepay for gasoline and then drive off forgetting to pump the gas!
Posted by scatterbrained on March 28, 2006, at 16:21:49
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory, posted by blueberry on March 28, 2006, at 15:28:13
ssri's absolutely cause memory problems, the problem is so does depression so it's a catch 22. I have certainly experienced this. The question is does ssri's cause more memory problems than other types of antidepressants?
Posted by CK1 on March 28, 2006, at 18:02:54
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Me, posted by scatterbrained on March 28, 2006, at 16:21:49
I've been on both and, in my opinion, benzos cause 100x more memory/cognitive loss than ssri's :)
Posted by greywolf on March 28, 2006, at 18:09:51
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Me, posted by scatterbrained on March 28, 2006, at 16:21:49
There are plenty of anecdotal reports of memory loss associated with SSRIs, and some clinical reports. In fact, I believe Prozac came under fire three or four years ago when researchers began associating long-term usage of fluoxetine with serious cognitive deficiencies and memory loss.But honestly, what mental health pharmaceuticals are without SEs? We're talking experimentation with brain chemistry here, not putting ointment on a scrape.
I believe more time must be spent between doctor and patient discussing not just the potential SEs, but the likely SEs. As you can see in these threads, individual sensitivity to SEs varies greatly, with something that wouldn't bother me at all being a major concern for someone else, and vice versa. Before anyone embarks on a course of treatment, a discussion must be had of what to really expect ("yes, you are likely to be nauseous for two weeks;" "yes, you will feel a sedating effect and you must commit to this regimen for at least 4 weeks before it will alleviate and you will begin to feel a benefit;" "no, you are not likely to experience an exacerbation of your manic state, but if it begins to happen, come back and we will switch you to X"). Too many patients don't ask for a frank and specific discussion of what can reasonably be expected, and too many doctors are willing to let the patient educate themselves from a sheet the pharmacist gives them (which contains every warning in the world, but little in the way of information that allows you to make a reasonable assessment of the risk that you will experience any particular SE).
So, yeah, SSRIs may cause memory problems. But the real question is how do you factor that information into a cost-benefit analysis that helps you make an informed choice.
Posted by Jakeman on March 28, 2006, at 19:44:59
In reply to Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory, posted by Phillipa on March 28, 2006, at 12:34:42
I've never had this effect from SSRI's. Many people report this, just as many report that SSRI's help memory. My experience overall has been that they help. Look up SSRI's and brain growth.
warm regards, Jake
Posted by scatterbrained on March 28, 2006, at 20:47:12
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory » Phillipa, posted by Jakeman on March 28, 2006, at 19:44:59
I don't believe that it is so much that the ssri's help with memory but that they help with depression(in some people) which in turn helps with memory.
Is ssri brain growth more pronounced than say trycyclic or maoi brain growth, is there a study?
Posted by linkadge on March 28, 2006, at 21:44:57
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory » Phillipa, posted by Jakeman on March 28, 2006, at 19:44:59
From what I've pieced together, the SSRI's seem to promote the extention of mature hippocampal neurons, but can actually slow the rate of growth of immature neurons. They seem also to affect differentially neurogenesis in certain hippocampal subfeilds. Some studies have hypothesized that SSRI's simply increase hippocampal turnover, see the below study.So, it is not really compleately understood how SSRI's affect the hippocampus overall, longterm.
Additionally, norepinephrine and dopamine also have effects on hippocampal proliferation. in different areas of the hippocampus. Ie mice lacking 5-ht1a receptor still respond to NRI's.
Norepinephrine plays a strong role in the recall of memories of emotional content too.
So, another consideration is that if an SSRI was to lower catecholamines, then it might supress certain forms of neurogenesis or memory recall.A study taken from:
http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/25/5/1089
Furthermore, we observed that chronic treatment with imipramine or fluoxetine produced a temporally similar increase in both BrdU-positive and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated UTP nick end-labeled neurons in the dentate gyrus, indicating that these drugs simultaneously increase both neurogenesis and neuronal elimination. These data suggest that antidepressants increase turnover of hippocampal neurons rather than neurogenesis per se and that BDNF signaling is required for the long-term survival of newborn neurons in mouse hippocampus.
Linkadge
Posted by Glydin on March 28, 2006, at 22:30:30
In reply to Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory, posted by Phillipa on March 28, 2006, at 12:34:42
> this must National SSRI bad side effects week. Love Phillipa
That would be just about every week here.What was your name again? (she said jokingly)
Posted by ian34 on March 28, 2006, at 22:52:01
In reply to Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory, posted by Phillipa on March 28, 2006, at 12:34:42
I tend to think that anti-anxiety drugs cause temporary memory loss a lot more than ssris do. I have taken both and when I came of benzos I was much clearer.
Posted by fairywings on March 28, 2006, at 23:59:39
In reply to Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory, posted by Phillipa on March 28, 2006, at 12:34:42
Wow, wouldn't 6 mg of xanax make anyone forget? Isn't that an awful lot?
fw
Posted by Phillipa on March 29, 2006, at 0:03:22
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory » Phillipa, posted by fairywings on March 28, 2006, at 23:59:39
I'd sleep for a week on 6mg of xanax. Yes it's an awfully lot. Love Phillipa
Posted by tizza on March 29, 2006, at 1:37:50
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Me, posted by linkadge on March 28, 2006, at 13:02:05
They mess with my memory, I have trouble recalling simple conversations that I had 5 mins ago and keep repeating myself when I am on them. Well I have been off them for 6 months now and it's still happening, that's life. Paul
Posted by greywolf on March 29, 2006, at 7:24:18
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory » Phillipa, posted by fairywings on March 28, 2006, at 23:59:39
I thought that, too, but in a thread last week someone told me that the 4mgs/day I take was a weak dose. It doesn't seem weak to me, and I can't imagine functioning at much more than that, but apparently some people are at much higher doses.
Posted by TylerJ on March 29, 2006, at 9:43:56
In reply to Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory, posted by Phillipa on March 28, 2006, at 12:34:42
> I've never heard of this before but my neighbor from Florida who is a third grade teacher said she heard or read that SSRI's cause memory loss. And she can't remember where she heard or read this. Has anyone else ever heard of this. I haven't. She is on lexapro 10mg and 3mg of xanax and will take up to 6mg of xanax at night if she cant sleep. She just laughs and says well if I cant remember something I tell my Son(grown and married with a child) that it's the medicine. She thinks it's a joke. Well I don't do any of you? Or have any of you heard of this. this must National SSRI bad side effects week. Love Phillipa
Come on now...you can't believe everything someone says, or what you read, or what you heard, etc, etc. Some people find something bad about EVERYTHING! And you know what, if you look hard enough you can too. There is no scientific proof that ssri's cause memory loss!! But, everything has side-effects of some kind...that's just how it is. Even Vitamins can have side effects...
-Vitamin E can elevate blood pressure in hypertensives.
-Choline can deepen the depressive phase of bi-polar depression.
-Vitamin C can reverse the anticoagulant activity of blood thinner in the drug Coumadin.By the way, this list could go on and on....
Tyler
Posted by linkadge on March 29, 2006, at 10:59:54
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory » Phillipa, posted by TylerJ on March 29, 2006, at 9:43:56
>There is no scientific proof that ssri's cause >memory loss!! But, everything has side-effects >of some kind...that's just how it is. Even >Vitamins can have side effects...
It has been a documented side effect. Some studies suggest that longer term use of the drugs may lead to more complications. I believe the topic is discussed in the book "Listening to Prozac".
Linkadge
Posted by Jakeman on March 29, 2006, at 11:50:17
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Me » Jakeman, posted by scatterbrained on March 28, 2006, at 20:47:12
> I don't believe that it is so much that the ssri's help with memory but that they help with depression(in some people) which in turn helps with memory.
>
> Is ssri brain growth more pronounced than say trycyclic or maoi brain growth, is there a study?I have not taken the time to conduct a proper literature review. There are many studies, some with conflicting results, and very little has been proven.
It could be that memory improvement is a result of remission. I can only say from my experience that the antidepressants which tend to be activating for me (such as Prozac, Wellburtrin, selegeline) have improved cognitive functioning and memory.
warm regards, Jake
Posted by fairywings on March 29, 2006, at 12:10:51
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Me, posted by Jakeman on March 29, 2006, at 11:50:17
I suppose it's like any other drug...depending on each person, their make-up, chemistry...each drug will have a diff. effect. Some might have memory loss, some might not. Some people can probably handle 6 mg xanax, whereas I'd be completely knocked out. Some people do well on SSRI's where some people don't. I guess that's why there's conflicting evidence?
fw
Posted by TylerJ on March 29, 2006, at 13:14:20
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory, posted by linkadge on March 29, 2006, at 10:59:54
> >There is no scientific proof that ssri's cause >memory loss!! But, everything has side-effects >of some kind...that's just how it is. Even >Vitamins can have side effects...
>
> It has been a documented side effect. Some studies suggest that longer term use of the drugs may lead to more complications. I believe the topic is discussed in the book "Listening to Prozac".
>
> Linkadge
>They've also proven that people who suffer from depression and anxiety with or without medication suffer from memory loss. They also know that this illness destroys brain cells, people with chronic dep. with or without meds
suffer from a lowering of their personal I.Q.Tyler
Posted by linkadge on March 29, 2006, at 13:29:59
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory » linkadge, posted by TylerJ on March 29, 2006, at 13:14:20
>They've also proven that people who suffer from >depression and anxiety with or without >medication suffer from memory loss. They also >know that this illness destroys brain cells, >people with chronic dep. with or without meds
>suffer from a lowering of their personal I.Q.I know that depression can impact the functionality of the hippocampus. I don't know if the statment could be extended to say that depressed individuals suffer from a lowering of IQ, IQ is not thought to reside in the hippocampus. Do you have any references for that conclusion ?
There has also been debate as to the validity of the assertion that antidepressants can prevent or repair this damamge. Some studies show that antidepressants reduce depression induced hippocampal loss and atropy while other studies suggest that no such conclusion can be made.
It is a similar arugment with schizophrenia. Although the antipsychotics can help symptoms of schizophrenia, they do not really correct or halt the underlying progression of the illness, sometimes they acutally make it worse.
Linkadge
Posted by ed_uk on March 29, 2006, at 13:36:49
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory, posted by linkadge on March 29, 2006, at 13:29:59
I have never noticed any memory loss on SSRIs. I do notice a reduction in motivation though, which can impact the ability to learn. Benzos can clearly affect memory. In fact, injectable benzodiazepines are used specifically to create amnesia during unpleasant medical procedures. A high IV dose of midazolam (Versed, Hypnovel) or diazepam (Diazemuls) can cause total amnesia for ~ 15 minutes after the injection. This is useful if a patient is having an endoscopy, for example.
Ed
Posted by Phillipa on March 29, 2006, at 13:46:46
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory, posted by ed_uk on March 29, 2006, at 13:36:49
Versed is a benzo? Love PJO
Posted by ed_uk on March 29, 2006, at 14:05:04
In reply to Re: Neighbor who is a teacher Says SSRI's Cause Memory » ed_uk, posted by Phillipa on March 29, 2006, at 13:46:46
Hi,
Yes, Versed is midazolam, a benzo. When injected, diazepam is quite similar to Versed. Oddly, Diazemuls (the non-irritant diazepam injection) is not marketed in the US. Valium injection is irritant to the vein so Versed in preferred. In the UK, both Diazemuls and Versed (Hypnovel here) are widely used in hospitals. Lorazepam (Ativan) and clonazepam (Klonopin, Rivotril) are also given by injection.
Ed xxx
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