Posted by TJ on October 29, 1999, at 22:26:42
I am regularly impressed by anecdotal statements that
relate hormonal events such as puberty, pregnancy, and
menopause (many others possible) to dramatic changes in
mood and outlook.Question: Where is the medical research to relate
brain chemistry changes with changes in hormone levels
and ratios? Why is the focus on SSRI's and CNS's?$?
My observations, both direct and indirect lead me to think that hormones
should be the first thing tinkered with, not the last. The
chemical pathways are shared with the dopamine/serotonin affecting
drugs. Think testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, oxytocin, phenylethylanline,
and perhaps DHEA.Do boys who "outgrow" ADHD, do so because they have big new resevoirs of
testosterone? Do girls not show the H of ADHD because they have so little
testosterone relatively speaking? Do women whose depression lifts completely
while pregnant lack adequate estrogen the rest of the time?Conversely, is it not to be expected that messing with serotonin pathways
will lead to changes in chemical feedback loops that govern sexual response?
So, what is the hormone story, and why not work from that end?TJ
poster:TJ
thread:14211
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19991028/msgs/14211.html