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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by anita on January 22, 2000, at 19:00:30
Psychopharm question:
If a drug increases the extracellular concentration of a neurotransmitter, does this mean that the amount of transmitter being used by the brain is increased or decreased?
Just trying to understand a confusing Medline article.thanks,
anita
Posted by Sam on January 23, 2000, at 0:56:42
In reply to Extracellular concentrations?, posted by anita on January 22, 2000, at 19:00:30
I don't think there is a simple answer to this question. Maybe and maybe not. The drug might only effect a particular part of the brain. It can effect different parts of the brain differently. There are several neurotransmitters involved in the brain. If the concentration in the synaptic cleft is increased by a reuptake inhibitor or a MAO inhibitor, then it might enhance the normal effect of the neurotransmitter in that part of the brain. It may be possible to increase the concentration of the neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft without necessarily changing the net normal effect of the neurotransmitter in that part of the brain. The total amount of any neurotransmitters in the brain is probably not effected much by most drugs but their effectiveness in particular parts of the brain is enhanced or interfered with. Some drugs can cause depletion of neurotransmitters or others may cause an overabundance of neurotransmitters. So I guess the answer would be it depends. How much the brain uses is a very vague
question. "Extracellular" is a little vague too.
Posted by Cam W. on January 23, 2000, at 11:00:14
In reply to Re: Extracellular concentrations?, posted by Sam on January 23, 2000, at 0:56:42
> I don't think there is a simple answer to this question. Maybe and maybe not. The drug might only effect a particular part of the brain. It can effect different parts of the brain differently. There are several neurotransmitters involved in the brain. If the concentration in the synaptic cleft is increased by a reuptake inhibitor or a MAO inhibitor, then it might enhance the normal effect of the neurotransmitter in that part of the brain. It may be possible to increase the concentration of the neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft without necessarily changing the net normal effect of the neurotransmitter in that part of the brain. The total amount of any neurotransmitters in the brain is probably not effected much by most drugs but their effectiveness in particular parts of the brain is enhanced or interfered with. Some drugs can cause depletion of neurotransmitters or others may cause an overabundance of neurotransmitters. So I guess the answer would be it depends. How much the brain uses is a very vague
> question. "Extracellular" is a little vague too.> Anita, Sam is correct in what he says, extracellular concentrations probably means the amount of neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft, which is the space between two nerve cells. Basically the neurotransmitter is carrying the electrical signal from one nerve cell to the next. Good luck with your reading. Cam W.
Posted by anita on January 25, 2000, at 0:55:13
In reply to Re: Extracellular concentrations?, posted by Cam W. on January 23, 2000, at 11:00:14
Sam & Cam (you two rhyme!), thanks for the explanations. I assumed that's what extracellular meant, but I got thrown by reading something that said that an SSRI decreased extracellular serotonin in a certain part of the brain.
anita
> > I don't think there is a simple answer to this question. Maybe and maybe not. The drug might only effect a particular part of the brain. It can effect different parts of the brain differently. There are several neurotransmitters involved in the brain. If the concentration in the synaptic cleft is increased by a reuptake inhibitor or a MAO inhibitor, then it might enhance the normal effect of the neurotransmitter in that part of the brain. It may be possible to increase the concentration of the neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft without necessarily changing the net normal effect of the neurotransmitter in that part of the brain. The total amount of any neurotransmitters in the brain is probably not effected much by most drugs but their effectiveness in particular parts of the brain is enhanced or interfered with. Some drugs can cause depletion of neurotransmitters or others may cause an overabundance of neurotransmitters. So I guess the answer would be it depends. How much the brain uses is a very vague
> > question. "Extracellular" is a little vague too.
>
> > Anita, Sam is correct in what he says, extracellular concentrations probably means the amount of neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft, which is the space between two nerve cells. Basically the neurotransmitter is carrying the electrical signal from one nerve cell to the next. Good luck with your reading. Cam W.
>
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