Prozac and Brain Growth
The SSRI meds are known to have a rather unique ability and that is they can cause something called "upregulation," meaning they cause receptor sites to mushroom. Where there were few, after the treatments, there are many, but how this was accomplished wasn't understood.
Now, researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island seem to have broken the mystery with Prozac (fluoxetine). The findings indicate that the SSRI med was vital in the second step of the process from stem cell to neuron and promoted the growth of cells called ANP (amplifying neural progenitors).
The researchers also believe this breakthrough may mean that a more efficient means of "training" stem cells to mature into new neurons may not be far away.
Now their task is to look at ways to devise new tools and approaches to see if other meds use the same pathways and action in the brain and if deep brain stimulation might also work in the same way. The open-access article appears in the May 15, 2006 edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and is available on line.
Related Topics: Anxiety Often Missed in the Elderly, Why Memory May Falter With Age
Technorati Tags: SSRI, Depression, Anxiety, Receptor sites, Brain growth
Now, researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island seem to have broken the mystery with Prozac (fluoxetine). The findings indicate that the SSRI med was vital in the second step of the process from stem cell to neuron and promoted the growth of cells called ANP (amplifying neural progenitors).
The researchers also believe this breakthrough may mean that a more efficient means of "training" stem cells to mature into new neurons may not be far away.
Now their task is to look at ways to devise new tools and approaches to see if other meds use the same pathways and action in the brain and if deep brain stimulation might also work in the same way. The open-access article appears in the May 15, 2006 edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and is available on line.
Related Topics: Anxiety Often Missed in the Elderly, Why Memory May Falter With Age
Technorati Tags: SSRI, Depression, Anxiety, Receptor sites, Brain growth
18 Comments:
Dr Farrell,
First, I didn't know you had updated the blog since the Grapefruit & Meds blog. I had to refresh the box to get the newer blogs to come up...
Regarding this blog. Does the effect stay after Prozac is stopped or does one have to remain on the Prozac? I am curious because I was on it for years and stopped it last fall. I don't feel the same but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I feel more emotional which is what I wanted: I felt emotionally flat.
Thanks again for your interesting blogs,
~Tasker
You are right in that these meds can cause a flattening of emotions. I knew a woman who found she couldn't cry once she was on Prozac and there seemed to be little emotion to anything.
What you've asked is one of the questions that still remains unanswered; do these changes remain or do the sites shrink back to their former configuration. We just don't know.
Thank you for your reply.
Yes, that was my experience with Prozac also. I found I couldn't cry for anything. Also I still had periods of intense depression. I felt a "good cry" could help relieve that but I couldn't get there. I also wondered why take a med when I still get depression, so I've been off it a while. I am not sure I made the right choice but I am going with it for the time being.
It would be interesting to know if the effect lasts as it would indicate a specific period of treatment with Prozac would be as helpful as a long-term course of it. Since that gets into affecting sales... we may never know!
~Tasker
This is pretty interesting stuff. I'm 17, and I have had a nervous problem for awhile. I went to the doctor and spilled about everything and he told me three things, two of which I already knew. One, that I was depressed, and two, that I had OCD. I knew those things, but neither of them bothered me. Then he said I had an anxiety/stress problem, which could have been hereditary. He put me on Prozac, about a week ago, and I don't know how I feel about it yet. I'm a little worried. Its like the drug makes you not care how you feel. I'm really scared to turn out like my other friends on it, none of which I speak to anymore because they have changed drastically and become entangled with drugs and other bad habits. I don't want to be a zombie, or do things I wouldn't do, and I'm nervous about the fact that I would be happy all because of a pill. I don't like that concept. Maybe I'm over reacting? What do you think?
I've been on prozac for about a year, I also am still depressed it comes and goes I kinda feel like it's hard to tell what kinda mood i'll be in, I also gained about 30lbs which in its own is hard to deal with but mostly after feeling nervous, anxiety, and crying all the time sometimes it can be good to take a pill to help you feel better, i've also noticed that when the prozac stops working the feeling i had before come back, i've not had my pill since thursday and it's kinda nice i dont wanna sleep all the time i feel normal.
Been on 40mgs of Prozac for 4 weeks now, side effects are getting me down, as I began on 20mgs I thought that by now side effects would be better. Have suffered from nausea, stomach pain, headaches, drowsy a lot of the time, dry irratable eyes, using drops now as prescribed by Optician. Not sure if meds are helping. Feeling flat and unemotional is a deffinite drawback.
I have to say that Prozac use in the past saved my life. I was self-medicating my depression with alcohol (smart treat one "D" with another) and was suicidal. My moods leveled out. I didn't experience the "highs" in my mood which was strange but I also didn't get really low and I was able to stay sober. I went back on it recently for chronic pain and have had problems with sleeping, not sure if it is the Prozac or the pain or both, but I am going to give it a try. The other alternative is "shot gun therapy" and I am not ready for that yet.
I have had 2 seizures recently that were unexplained. I recently saw my Doctor and she told me that taking prozac does lower your seizure threshold! I stopped asap, now I am facing the possibility of maybe losing my driver's license. Thought others should know if having seizures.
Patricia in CA
As to Prozac, I was given it many years ago as I am a violent crime survivor. My doctor and I worked the dosage out as 20 (bug hit windshield and I cryed)wasn't enough, 40 was better, 60 very mellow, 80 I didn't care! Doc said all he had read and talked about, said you needed Prozac to take away the lows, and to settle the highs, but to get to a caring, non-crying, warm state. I got that as to rotating the amount of Prozac every day, example 40 Monday, 60 Tuesday, 40 Wednesday..and so on. I was on it for about 10 years and very good, I am going back on as I need to have the help it gives me(haven't been on for 4 yrs.)so I am going to start the same way I used to take....my current doctor wants me to try Cymbalta, but not sure of it..as I can't take one that might make me sleepy, as then it triggers other systoms from the past. So talk to your doctors about the different days.
I have been on Prozac for 6 months now, 20 mg, for depression, anxiety, stress, etc. I noticed after 30 days I felt much happier, but as time has gone by I still feel depressed, get anxious and have thought about "shotgun therapy" a few times, as mentioned in another blog. I am thinking of getting off of Prozac, to see how I function. I am drinking two small glasses of wine a night, stopped taking Xanax on a regular basis and would like to know if I can handle life over 50 without taking a pill! Interesting reading the blogs on Prozac, helps me a lot....thanks for your time!
Haven't slept well since taking Prozac, by the way and do have nausea and nervousness...
Donna-VA
I just started taking 10mg of Prozac from 75mg of Zoloft. I don't really know much about medicine, so I don't know if 70mg to 10mg is a good step or not. I don't have depression, but I am a very anxious person. I worry about a lot of things and this REALLY REALLY affects my stomach! I've always had a nervous stomach and I'm hoping prozac will help. I have been nauseated, diarrhea, stomach cramping. It is hard for me to deal with these side effects, because being stomach sick is AWFUL for me! Is this normal??? Very worried about this! Also, when will this medicine really start kicking in to where I feel normal physically?
I take Prozac and not sure what it does. I have weight gain and RLS reall bad.
I just started taking prozac about 2 weeks ago and I think it has calmed me down and things just seem to roll off me a little bit. I am just concerened that I do alot of entertaining in my business and I want to know what happens when you have a glass or 2 of wine? Also can I take a Zanex with Prozac for big presentations that I have once a month?
I just started taking prozac and I think it has calmed me down and things just seem to roll off me. I am just concerened that I do alot of entertaing in my business and I want to know what happens when you have a glass or 2 of wine?
hi. Just wanted to add to what is being said about Prozac. I have been on it for 20 yrs. now. Wow. I also have been off of it four times in this 20 yr. period. Two times for pregnancies, and two times I went off on my own. The first time I decided to see, on my own, what "life" was like without it, I made it through 6 mo. The second time, on my own, barely 3 mo. I was also told, Prozac would help ME, to NOT have a seizure. I also have the benefit of having one pediatrician from birth until 20 yrs. of age. At age 21, I started taking prozac. My pediatrician has notes all over my chart saying things like "patient is nervous" at 2 yrs. old, up to age 17, "possible anorexia". Why didn't anyone try to help me? I still have not been diagnosed with depression. But a new Doctor recognized that I had some "nervous issues" and was willing to investigate. I think Doctor care and dosage are the key, if prozac works for the patient. I now know of someone who's son (with Aspergers syndrome )responds well to low dosage of prozac.
Me again, the 20 year prozac user... I do have times when I am awake at night (note time on blog) but I was "this way" before prozac. My Doctor advises getting up and doing something useful as opposed to laying in bed just thinking. Unloading the dishwasher(quietly) usually puts me right back in bed!(note: find a BORING activity). Careful drinking alcohol on Prozac. I was able to drink MORE without drunk feeling:not good. Oh,& I had nervous stomach before; just no one brought it to "my attention". Don't Give Up...
i like the way prozac numbs me to the reality that i have been a complete failure for the past 10 years of my life. i got off for a while and thought i was doing better but i was actually hurting myself more than you can imagine. i was on 20 mg, but doc put me on 40 mg this time. i wonder what 60 mg would do for me?????????
Good to hear how Prozac is affecting other people. My doctor calls it Vitamin P and really believes in it. She put me on it just before a loved one got sick and passed away, and, as painful as it is, I don't think I could make it without the Prozac. It numbs my emotions but pain so intense that I still can cry. I am sleepy all the time and am concerned that it is a side affect of the drug. One person mentioned this & I am wondering if anyone else has this problem.
Post a Comment