Posted by dj on November 14, 2000, at 16:11:21
Just glanced at this, came across it when scanning a few sites. I'd be interested in hearing from SLS or some who might be inclined to give it a bit more of a look than I have time to and comment accordingly.
A couple of brief excertpts from there:
"graduated from Indiana University (1982 - Phi Beta Kappa) and Indiana University School of Medicine (1986) and completed my psychiatry training in 1990 at Wright State University/ Wright Patterson Air Force Base on an Air Force scholarship. I am board certified in psychiatry. I have had additional training in psychoanalysis. I currently live and practice in Juneau, Alaska.
Me, reluctantly doing a press interview
I write the "Current Trends" feature of Journal of Ethical Human Sciences and Services. I am on the board of the National Association of Rights Protection and Advocacy and the International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology.
I used to believe and practice biological psychiatry, so I have an idea how seductive it is to believe in the magic of pills -- especially when you have serious doubts that you have anything else worthwhile to offer. But now I hold onto the belief that life is more meaningful than chemicals, and that there is no drug that can match the power of human connection.
My views of psychiatry are influenced by psychoanalysis which guides me to see even the most perplexing symptoms as meaningful, and by my Christian faith which guides me to view humans as much more than biology."
and
"Brain serotonin2 receptors in major depression: A positron emission tomography study. Yatham L, Liddle P, Shiah I, Scarrow G, Lam R, Adam M, Zis A, Ruth T, Arch Gen Psychiatry, 2000: 47:850-858.
Because "the precise nature of alterations in the 5-HT system that underlie depressive symptoms still remains elusive," the authors used PET scans to measure serotonin receptor binding. They found that depressed subjects had significantly decreased 5-HT2 receptor binding potential in several areas of the brain. This finding was "counterintuitive" to the authors. "One would expect to find an increase in brain 5-HT receptors associated with major depression." Why? Because "effective antidepressant treatments reduce brain 5-HT2 receptors." The authors therefore propose a new hypothesis: The brain, on its own, down-regulates serotonin receptors as a way of compensating for depression. Antidepressants "accelerate" this down regulation.
A simpler explanation, by far, would be that the abnormalities were caused by antidepressants -- not depression. All but one (of 20) subjects had recently been on antidepressants, with only a two-week washout period required (5 weeks for Prozac). Interestingly, subjects with a history of substance or alcohol abuse within the past six months were excluded. The authors give no explanation of why they would expect "substances" to affect the brain for six months, but antidepressants for only two weeks. They cite another study similar to this one, except that it required subjects to be off of antidepressants for six months. That study found no difference between depressed and non-depressed subjects."
poster:dj
thread:48803
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001102/msgs/48803.html