Posted by Miguel (209.42.225.12) on March 14, 2000 at 21:13:03:
In Reply to: if not estrogen, then how about serotonin? posted by monica on March 14, 2000 at 17:13:27:
Well, another way to increase serotonin concentration in the CNS
is via inhibition of monoamine oxidase (MAO),
the enzyme that breaks down serotonin.
The above are usually anti-depressants, which may
also help with the "SAD" aspect of the mood you
described. As I understand, only one respondant
to some of my questions about Rx therapies had taken
and MAO inhibitor. The result was negative, as in
no influence on CH. However, only one response can't
be utilized as any data of statistical significance.
So perhaps if more people were taking MAO inhibitors
and reporting its effects on CH, a firmer conclusion
could be drawn.
In so far, it appears that CH as an ailment appears
to be a mixture of depression, psycosis, and epilepsy.
Although neither of them are expressed at a "full
blown" level, ingredients of each of the above noted
problems seem to be part of the extremely complex
CH problem.
Here are a couple of links that you may find useful in
understanding serotonin, and other brain chemistry:
http://www.biopsychiatry.com/5ht2hal.htm
http://www.cs.hmc.edu/~ivl/writing/non_fiction/lsd/
http://www.fairlite.com/ocd/articles/ser90.shtml
There are links to other CNS chemicals in one of the
above pages. Good luck :)
Miguel