Posted by linkadge on February 25, 2006, at 22:21:13
In reply to Re: What exactly is acetylcholine (ACh) ??, posted by zeugma on February 25, 2006, at 19:01:52
Yeah, I've heard of the flinders rats.
I don't really think that depression is a result of increased intellegence by any means.
I guess I am just arguing that some of the most effective antidepressants can have some strong deleriant/anticholinergic effects.
It is arguable that the TCA's are superior to other classes of antidepressants for certain depressions, ie severe melancholy.Personally, I never found the SSRI's were much good at relieving me depression. Although, the TCA's, marajuanna, and other anticholinergics were very good at it. Unfortunately I am only of average intellegence, but that being said I can say that the drugs that have helped my depression, have made me dumber. Many times I didn't notice the exactly how the drugs were impairing my memory untill after the drugs were discontinued.
The cholinergic/adrenergic axis theory to affective disorders may extend to bipolar disorder too. Both lithium and depakote increase the sensitivity of the cholinergic axis. WHile they are not smart drugs, they can tend to make manic people more thoughtfull, reflective, and perhaps less impulsive. One of the deficits in bipolar disorder may be in insight, ie bipolars may spend too much money without considering the consequences. So lithium might not make sombody smarter on IQ tests, but by increasing reflection on actions (ie cholinergic enhancement) they may favor long term emotional survival. Lithium also increases brain grey matter. Antidepressants do not do this. Over time, this may equate to a more intricate environmental adaption. But that being said, lithium can be terrably depressing (it was for me)
Just rambling really.
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:612749
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20060130/msgs/613348.html