Posted by linkadge on December 12, 2006, at 20:23:36
In reply to Re: Article on Biological Basis of Depression » dessbee, posted by Phillipa on December 12, 2006, at 17:54:56
I actually emailed this guy to ask him about the contraditions in his website.
The page basically talks about how the short-short version of the serotonin transporter is linked to depression and achoholism. He then makes the mistake of taking this as proof that SSRI's are fixing the problem, without realizing that SSRI's are actually making the brain more like that of people posessing the SS varient.
When serotonin is in short supply, apparently the serotonin tranporter drops to try and compensate. The same thing goes with norepiniephrine and dopamine. That is why low NET has also been found in depression.
So, maybe there is a problem with synthesis, rather than reuptake.
The 5-ht1b receptors are involved in serotonin uptake and synthesis in the brain. I believe that depression induced supersentitivity of presynaptic 5-ht1b will significantly reduce the rate of serotonin sythsis in the brain.
Mark my words, I am going to put my money on presynaptic 5-ht1b autoreceptor antagonists for depression.
There is an endogenious antagonist of 5-ht1b autoreceptors called the 5-ht moduline. It controlls the activity of 5-ht1b. Anyhow, supposedly it is altered in depression. It interacts with P11. Don't know much more, but that agents which interact with 5-ht1b autoreceptors (like lithium) can help depression as fast as lithium can without all the nasty intracellular stuff which detract from lithiums antidepressant effect.
I just hope sombody makes a break, cause the case for the concept of an antidepressant has taken some hits in recent years.
Sorry for blithering.
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:712494
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20061212/msgs/713010.html