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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by squaw16 on July 18, 2005, at 14:48:27
Hey, everybody
I don't know if i have too much, too little, or a combination of both of dopamine. I have been binge-drinking and smoking for 15 years, which leads me to believe I have too little dopamine. But I also get strong paranoia, which I've read means too much dopamine. Can anyone help, please? My pdoc gave me Abilify, and I don't know if that raises or lowers dopamine. All I know is I still have strong cravings for beer and cigarettes.
Thanks
suqaw16
Posted by Mistermindmasta on July 21, 2005, at 23:50:40
In reply to Questions about dopamine, posted by squaw16 on July 18, 2005, at 14:48:27
> Hey, everybody
> I don't know if i have too much, too little, or a combination of both of dopamine. I have been binge-drinking and smoking for 15 years, which leads me to believe I have too little dopamine. But I also get strong paranoia, which I've read means too much dopamine. Can anyone help, please? My pdoc gave me Abilify, and I don't know if that raises or lowers dopamine. All I know is I still have strong cravings for beer and cigarettes.
> Thanks
> suqaw16
First off, there's no such thing as too little or too much dopamine. You definitely need to be looking at how much dopamine is in a certain brain circuit. A lot of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex can lead to being very quick thinking (obviously, good), but too much dopamine in the limbic circuit can cause paranoia. Atypical antipsychotics tend to increase dopamine in the prefrontal cortex (via antagonizing 5-HT2a receptors) while simultaneously decreasing dopamine in the limbic circuit (via antagonising Dopamine 2{?}) receptors. Thus, why you're on abilify. So it's not a question of too little or too much, its how much in each particular brain area.If you binge drink, it's probably because you don't have enough dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, part of the reward circuit of the brain. SSRI's can sometimes increase dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, therefore decreasing cravings, but sometimes they can increase cravings by indirectly lowering dopamine through the extra serotonin at certain serotonin receptors.
What you want to take home, though, is that your dopamine levels are imbalanced. That's more fitting than "too little" or "too much". Taking abilify balances your dopamine a little bit more, but actually doesn't necessarily fix the lack of dopamine in the reward circuit. It sometimes can, but might not for you. Everyone's brain circuity is vastly different.
Posted by Wildman on July 22, 2005, at 6:28:07
In reply to Re: Questions about dopamine, posted by Mistermindmasta on July 21, 2005, at 23:50:40
Thanks for the excellent brief description of the role of dopamine (been wondering about it).
I, too, binge drink and have been smoking pot daily since 1984. I believe that I have done this to compensate for something not quite right with my dopamine system. My drug use has NEVER affected my studies or my work. I've used pot to increase my concentration, as I have the attention span of a housefly normally.
Right now I take Lexapro, Seroquel, and Trileptal, which seems to help.
Wildman
Posted by squaw16 on July 22, 2005, at 16:28:55
In reply to Re: Questions about dopamine, posted by Mistermindmasta on July 21, 2005, at 23:50:40
Dear Mistamindmasta,
Thank you for putting that answer so succintly. I now know why I'm on Abilify. Your answer also cleared up another big mystery for me: my pdoc once put me on Prozac, and my cravings for booze, food and cigarettes went THROUGH THE ROOF. That must be what you meant by some SSRIs can inadvertently mess up your dopamine levels - that must have happened to me on Prozac. I'm still stumped about what to do about the binge-drinking. My pdoc put me on klonipin, which he says "works on the same brain receptors as alcohol" and should therefore lower my alcohol cravings. Is he full of it, or is there some truth to it? I haven't noticed any reduction in my alcohol cravings at all. I'm thinking of asking for naltrexone (Sp?) or something like that. Anyway, thanx a million
Squaw16
Posted by Carolina on July 26, 2005, at 10:52:41
In reply to Re: Questions about dopamine » Mistermindmasta, posted by squaw16 on July 22, 2005, at 16:28:55
FYI-i have been on klonopin for years now and almost 2 of those years i drank pretty heavily so i don't see how k helps w/ the desire for alcohol? Every1 is so diff. and every med. can help diff.. I did find some of the info about prozac inteesting-i was opposite..on prozac i DID NOT want to smoke or drink anything?? while i was on effexor i craved cigs. but now that im off(10 days now) i DO NOT want my cigs????is there a similarity here that im missing? i know it sounds trivial but i have always wondered.
Posted by Mistermindmasta on July 27, 2005, at 21:44:43
In reply to Re: Questions about dopamine » Mistermindmasta, posted by squaw16 on July 22, 2005, at 16:28:55
> Dear Mistamindmasta,
> Thank you for putting that answer so succintly. I now know why I'm on Abilify. Your answer also cleared up another big mystery for me: my pdoc once put me on Prozac, and my cravings for booze, food and cigarettes went THROUGH THE ROOF. That must be what you meant by some SSRIs can inadvertently mess up your dopamine levels - that must have happened to me on Prozac.Yep, got that right. They think that the extra serotonin lowers dopamine in some people and can caused cravings.
>I'm still stumped about what to do about the binge-drinking. My pdoc put me on klonipin, which he says "works on the same brain receptors as alcohol" and should therefore lower my alcohol cravings. Is he full of it, or is there some truth to it? I haven't noticed any reduction in my alcohol cravings at all. I'm thinking of asking for naltrexone (Sp?) or something like that. Anyway, thanx a million
> Squaw16Well, your doctor is half right, I'd say. Klonopin and alcohol both increase activity at GABA receptors. But alcohol works on MANY receptors, not just GABA. If you're the type of person who drinks alcohol to help anxiety, then yes, he's right, klonpin could help. But many people drink to get a nice buzz, a good feeling going. Alcohol does this partially by acting as an agonist an mu-opioid receptors, thus the reason why naltrexone can reduce cravings, since it also works to sort of normalise the mu receptors.
You actually might be better off with bupriopon or wellbutrin, something that doesn't work on serotonin. You might see your cravings lessen then. Who knows.
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