What we know we don't know: Prozac and the brain

[trystinn]

For twenty years, psychology has harbored the idea that depression is the lack of a certain brain chemical - serotonin. Simply add the right dosage and type, presto - no more depression. This is the Chemical Hypothesis. Except, it doesn't work for everyone. And taking non-depressive folks and blocking their serotonin doesn't make them depressed. In fact, the Chemical Hypothesis of a chemical imbalance is "wrong" or "very incomplete", actually.

So what's going on? A new theory has been formed. Brain death.

New testing reveals that depression is created by neuron death; brain cells shrinking and dying. Prozac, and drugs like it, allow those dying neurons to be healed, thus alleviating depression. An entirely new theory, forcing psychology and pharmacology to create new treatments.

"The best way to think about depression is as a mild neurodegenerative disorder," says Ronald Duman, a professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at Yale. "Your brain cells atrophy, just like in other diseases [such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's]. The only difference with depression is that it's reversible. The brain can recover."

It does explain a few things, but it creates a hell of a lot of new questions, too. Which at the end of the day is what science is supposed to do.

Comments

[lore-of-lore.livejournal.com]

*head tilt* My brain is possibly dying? Interesting...

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

I wasn't sure if this would offend folks, but if I know my friend's list this will really interest people.

It just makes sense, somehow, doesn't it? Heal the neurons and folks feel better. I love how the article puts it, a healing pill vs a happy pill.

[lore-of-lore.livejournal.com]

I don't care what kind of pill it is I still won't take it... But yes, that is a better way to put it. I mainly just don't want to because my doctor is an idiot, so I'm going to do it myself. Rawr.

[tidesong.livejournal.com]

It gets even more interesting when one's depression is a result of another neurodegenerative disorder. My depression, for example, is a result of the demyelination that has occurred because of my MS, according to the Mayo Clinic neurologist I saw last year. Makes me wonder how this theory that depression damage can be reversed could or could not work with depression like mine. Demyelination can't really be reversed, though they're working on it.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

I hope it can help, if the theory proves to find new alternatives.

Wanted to thank you for "Altar of My Soul" I'm really, really enjoying it and learning quite a bit, lots of new ideas.

*hugs*

[dana3.livejournal.com]

Interesting. When compared with some -- probably 10 years old now, published in Discover magazine -- work on how Prozac (specifically) rewires the brain, making it (to my mind) not a first drug of choice, we open the possibility of some interesting science. For instance -- what if the new cells produced are only sensitive or productive or maybe even only functional in the continuing, ongoing presence of Prozac? Great for Merck's marketing plan, maybe not so hot for the millions of human lab subjects involved ... :D

[wild-heart.livejournal.com]

I can't help but wonder if fluoxetine will be next year's Viagra.

I also don't know too many people who suffer from depression who can muster up the drive to exercise. I guess drugs first, exercise second to bolster the drugs. Maybe.

Very interesting, regardless.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Very, very interesting. If it leads to better, more effective treatments this theory may change the lives of millions.

I'm glad to see one of the grand old (relatively) sacred cows of psychology fall. A little revolution now and again is a good thing, I'm told. *wink*

[wastedmouthfull.livejournal.com]

What about people that inherit it from family genes?
I know it runs in my family but Im not sure that this fully explains why.
And what makes a person a likley candidate for this?

[winterlion.livejournal.com]

Fascinating!
...*hmm* I definitely want to keep following this. It does hint at much more.