3 ms·

I really think we're dealing with some very complicated biochemistry here. I have never seen a single psych drug, the PI sheet for which did not begin, "The ex

by sramsay 11y ago

I really think we're dealing with some very complicated biochemistry here. I have never seen a single psych drug, the PI sheet for which did not begin, "The exact mechanism of action is unknown" (or words to that effect). And that includes very old drugs like Lithium. Obviously, these drugs can provide relief for people suffering from various kinds of mental disorders. Most of them target serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, and a laundry list of receptors. Yet it still amazes me that no one can seem to draw a clear line between these chemical interventions and relief from symptoms. Given all that, every piece evidence becomes potentially significant. But it also means a long, long slog through inferential statistics, patient self-reports, placebo effects, and targeted studies like this one that may fail to account for a thousand other factors. I'm not a biochemist, but I think I would find this work both fascinating and very frustrating.

PaulHoule 11y ago
Note there are at least 14 known serotonin receptors: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-HT_receptor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-HT_receptor and this is responsible for the rich pharmacology of serotonin-affecting drugs such as the SSRIs, hallucinogens such as LSD, and MDMA which delivers an entirely different experience, atypical antipsychotics, antimigraine drugs, anti-emetic drugs such as Ondansetron, etc. It doesn't matter "how much" serotonin you have as where it is. Note that serotonogenic drugs have radically different modes of actions such as agonist, antagonist, partial agonist as well as the reuptake inhibitors, and that many serotonin receptors are actually autoreceptors on the other side of the junction which suppress the production of serotonin at the terminals. Personally I think of the SSRI drugs as "antineurotics" and what they seem to do is help me keep compensated under stress. That is, rather than going to pieces, I stay rational under provocation. This might be why Scientology hates SSRIs so much, because it really does seem to make your "reactive mind" much weaker.
- sramsay 11y ago
  Right. I think that's why we get into the "let's try this" mode with doctors, which has been mentioned in this thread. That can be frustrating for patients, but "sertonergic drug" (or effect) is a hugely broad category, and we don't have any way to know in advance which part of what thing needs to be affected in what way -- or even if it's serotonin that's the problem! I hear what you say about "reactive mind." I've never heard it put that way, but man does that capture depression/mania and a whole host of other brain cooties.

by sramsay 11y ago

PaulHoule 11y ago

Note there are at least 14 known serotonin receptors: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-HT_receptor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-HT_receptor and this is responsible for the rich pharmacology of serotonin-affecting drugs such as the SSRIs, hallucinogens such as LSD, and MDMA which delivers an entirely different experience, atypical antipsychotics, antimigraine drugs, anti-emetic drugs such as Ondansetron, etc. It doesn't matter "how much" serotonin you have as where it is. Note that serotonogenic drugs have radically different modes of actions such as agonist, antagonist, partial agonist as well as the reuptake inhibitors, and that many serotonin receptors are actually autoreceptors on the other side of the junction which suppress the production of serotonin at the terminals. Personally I think of the SSRI drugs as "antineurotics" and what they seem to do is help me keep compensated under stress. That is, rather than going to pieces, I stay rational under provocation. This might be why Scientology hates SSRIs so much, because it really does seem to make your "reactive mind" much weaker.

sramsay 11y ago
Right. I think that's why we get into the "let's try this" mode with doctors, which has been mentioned in this thread. That can be frustrating for patients, but "sertonergic drug" (or effect) is a hugely broad category, and we don't have any way to know in advance which part of what thing needs to be affected in what way -- or even if it's serotonin that's the problem! I hear what you say about "reactive mind." I've never heard it put that way, but man does that capture depression/mania and a whole host of other brain cooties.